


as long as i got you (and me)

by goesonandon



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, ChONI AU, Established Relationship, F/F, Im horrible at tagging, Lesbian Cheryl Blossom, Toni Topaz Needs a Hug, jason is alive, marriage fic, the blossoms are still horrible tbh, they got married young idk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-01-10 22:52:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18417530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goesonandon/pseuds/goesonandon
Summary: “It’s not okay, Cher. We don’t have fucking electricity.”Cheryl gulps at the sharpness in her wife’s voice. “I know that. But can we please calm down?” She says softly, tugging the brunette closer to envelope her in a hug.Toni sighs again, letting her forehead fall on Cheryl’s shoulder. “This isn’t the life that I envisioned for us.”“Yet.” Cheryl answers. “It isn’t the life yet. But we’ll get there, okay? I know we will.”ORChoni eloped at a young age and are struggling financially. With Toni struggling to make it into the photography industry and Cheryl merely graduating college, leaving our favorite pink haired brunette frustrated.ORThe choni financial status difference fic that nobody asked for.





	1. no one could fall for you quite like me

**Author's Note:**

> yoyoyo! I’m back lmfao. I kind of really planned on making that Choni CF AU just because i loved five feet apart and i love claire wineland, the youtuber who passed away bcos of CF but uh, i kind of hit a wall 50% into it. 
> 
> And i just kind of thought of this while i wait for my sister’s highschool graduation to be over. Idk. So yeah. It’s a series! Yay. 
> 
> also, slight smut warning in the beginning. (Not slight) ;)

“Shh shh...you’ll wake up the neighbors, babe. Old lady Bridgett still gives me those judgmental stares whenever she sees me...” Toni giggled, scratching her nails on her wife’s abdomen beneath her shirt. She hugs her closer, planting open-mouthed kisses on the redhead’s shoulder.

 

Cheryl moaned again at the feel of Toni sucking vigorously on her left shoulder. She tries to focus on the task at hand, which was unlocking their apartment door, instead of the bruising mark her wife is currently leaving on her pale skin. The two came rushing back home after Toni had picked up Cheryl from the university after her shift at the Wyrm. They had been married for over a year now, with Cheryl still finishing her final year of business school and Toni deciding to pursue her photography career. It’s a tough industry to break into but as long as it makes Toni happy, Cheryl is happy. Plus, she has complete faith in her wife and her talent.

 

Getting married at twenty two didn’t exactly made both their families jump with joy, especially Clifford and Penelope Blossom. But being Mrs. Cheryl Topaz was number one on her priority list and so the two were saying “I Do” before the Blossoms could even say “Maple Syrup Business”. The redhead walked away from a multi-million dollar company holding the love of her life’s hand, and it has been the best decision that’s she’s ever made in her life.

 

They’ve been together for a total of five years now. Five years of nothing but love and passion and pure bliss.

 

“Well if you could just give me a little space so I can unlock the door, TT…” And right then the struggle of the redhead was over. With one final click, the door opened, Cheryl’s squeals echoing as Toni yanks her, turns her around and picks her up by her thighs. She silenced the giddy redhead with a forceful and needy kiss.

 

“I told you...be quiet.” Toni mumbles in between heated kisses as she kicks the door shut. Her hands cupped her wife’s full ass, squeezing tightly as they stumble around the dark apartment, Toni looking for a flat surface to plant her wife on and _fuck_ her senseless. Because yes, it’s that kind of night. She knows how much they both need it, especially after a day full of teasing through text. They can make love after, but right now she lets herself be rough with her.

 

Cheryl whined both at the pain and the pleasure of having Toni pressed up against her after slamming her down on the study table. Her hands reach out blindy, swatting everything on her desk. At this point, she couldn’t care less if her laptop was included among the things that fell off. God, she needs Toni.

 

“Someone is eager.” The cocky brunette smirked, hiking the redhead’s skirt up with both hands before continuing her assault on the spot she had previously worked on.

 

Cheryl grunted. “Baby, please. No teasing.” She entrapped Toni with her legs, grounding her hips on her to produce some kind of friction. “I want _you._ ”

 

Toni’s head spins at the tone that her wife is using. She knows just how much power she has on her, knows what kind of things to say and what kind of voice to use to put Toni to her knees, literally. And truthfully, Toni doesn’t mind. She loves Cheryl, with all that she is. And so she doesn’t even think twice as she drags her wife’s panties down her legs, and then runs her fingers through her folds.

 

Cheryl bites her shoulder to suppress a loud moan as Toni hissed. More at the wetness that she found in between the redhead’s thighs than the pain on her neck. Toni kisses her wife’s jaw, leaving a few bites there on her own as two fingers continued to trace Cheryl’s entrance.

 

“I love you, Cher.” She mutters near the redhead’s ear.

 

“Show me.” Cheryl pants.

 

Toni pulls back slightly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness to find Cheryl’s, only to find out her wife is gazing back at her intensely. She withdraws her hand slowly, maintaining eye contact, before putting two fingers in her mouth.

 

The two moaned simultaneously at the gesture. And Toni dropped to her knees immediately, deciding she needed more, more of Cheryl, more of her taste. She doesn’t even need to open her eyes to know where her mouth should land. She’s memorized Cheryl, all of her, the way she sounds, the way she smells, and _god,_ as she flattens her tongue on her wife’s clit, the way she tastes. _Oh shit_ , it’s even better than she could remember.

 

But even as though she’s mastered all of _this_ already, she couldn’t quite get enough of seeing how her wife’s face would contort while she’s going down on her, how her eyebrows would furrow, her jaw would drop, and her chest would heave.

 

Standing up in one quick motion, she reaches for the spotlight that’s thankfully still sitting at the corner of the table. Cheryl groaned at the loss of contact, confused as to what her wife was up to.

 

Toni matched Cheryl’s groan when the light didn’t open. She flicks it again, and again and again. Her frustration could only grow as she tries for a solid minute. She checks the chord if it’s plugged and whined when she saw that it was.

 

Cheryl was still perched on top of the desk, trying to catch her breath and looking at her wife impatiently. “Babe, what the fuck…”

 

Toni growls. “Son of a bitch.”

 

“Me?!” Cheryl snapped.

 

“What? No, baby. Not you.” The brunette lets out a frustrated sigh. “I asked them for one more week.”

 

Cheryl licks her lips, trying to discern what Toni could possibly be referring to.

 

“Fuck.” Toni whispers.

 

_Oh._

 

“Hey, babe...it’s okay.” Cheryl bites her lip, squirming uncomfortably on the table as Toni stares blankly at the distance. She knows sex is a none possibility now, judging from Toni’s current mood. She tugs her skirt down, jumping from her desk and stepping closer to the frustrated brunette.

 

She could feel Toni’s anxiety just by standing near her. She reaches for her wife’s hand, releasing it from the tight grip on pink strands and places soft kisses on it. “Hey, it’s okay.”

 

“It’s not okay, Cher. We don’t have fucking electricity.”

 

Cheryl gulps at the sharpness in her wife’s voice. “I know that. But can _we_ please calm down?” She says softly, tugging the brunette closer to envelope her in a hug.

 

Toni sighs again, letting her forehead fall on Cheryl’s shoulder. “This isn’t the life that I envisioned for us.”

 

“Yet.” Cheryl answers. “It isn’t the life _yet._ But we’ll get there, okay? I know we will.”

 

Toni groans again. “When? I—I’m so sorry, Cher.”

 

“What are you sorry for?”

 

“This! Everything.”

 

“You mean our marriage?”

 

“No. It’s just—god, it’s so hard, babe.” Toni shakes her head, tightening her hold around the redhead’s waist.

 

“Don’t _ever_ apologize for marrying me again, Antoinette.” Cheryl says firmly.

 

“No, I’m not sorry about that. I guess I’m just sorry for this shitty...whatever this is.” Toni sighs again. She thinks about their life, as happy as they are together, this isn’t the life that Toni had wanted for her and Cheryl. “Maybe you should go stay at Jason’s until I can get them to give me a few more days.”

 

“No.”

 

“Cheryl—“

 

“No, Toni. I’m not going anywhere.” Cheryl said with finality, removing her arms from her waist and walking towards the kitchen. She pulls out a drawer, retrieving the set of candles that they had used once before.

 

She hates when Toni tries to send her off to Jason’s or Veronica’s. She hates when her wife tries to solve their problems on her own. She is half of this marriage, dammit. She’s not going anywhere and that’s final.

 

A few seconds more and she could feel Toni hovering behind her.

 

“Let’s just go, have dinner.” Toni says silently.

 

Cheryl continues to light the candles, pulling her hair in a ponytail.

 

“Baby.”

 

“Don’t _baby_ me, Toni. You can’t always do this.”

 

“Do what?” Toni winces. She wonders how they could go from being so passionate to this that quick.

 

“Pretend that I’m not a part of this marriage.” The redhead answers, her back still facing the brunette.

 

Toni leaned on the island counter for support, sighing while folding her arms. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way, Cher. You are a part of this marriage. You’re my other half.”

 

Cheryl’s shoulder’s sagged, turning around to face her wife. “Then let me stay here...with you. And let me help you.”

 

“I just—I know where this conversation will lead. You’re just going to insist on taking my job at Pop’s and I can’t have you do that. You’re still in school. And I want you to focus on that, on graduating.”

 

“You are a waitress by day, a bartender at night, and an assistant photographer in between! Toni, let me help you.” Cheryl’s voiced raised a little in frustration.

 

Toni steps closer, running her hands on her wife’s arm to soothe her. Because god knows how much she hates when they argue. And upsetting Cheryl is the last thing that she could ever want. “Baby, you’re already helping me with you focusing on graduating. Please, can we just drop this?”

 

“Toni…”

 

Toni leans in, placing open-mouthed kisses on the redhead’s shoulders again in an attempt to distract her. “Where were we?”

 

Cheryl bit her lip to suppress a moan. “You can’t...you can’t always do this. T-Treat me like I’m—” She stutters.

 

“I know…” Toni whispers, a smug grin on her face at the feel of Cheryl’s legs trembling under her touch. “I know...I’m sorry.” She cups her wife’s face, planting their lips together to release Cheryl’s bottom lip in between her teeth. “You’re my _wife_.”

 

Cheryl bites back a smile. “We’re not—we’re not done with the conversation.” She tried to sound tough, but the look on her wife’s face was enough for Cheryl’s resolve to break down completely.

 

Toni pushes her forward with a smirk on her lips. The brunette’s hand planted at her sides, gripping the counter top as Cheryl’s butt hit the counter. Toni’s fingers landed on the button of the redhead’s blouse, snapping them open one by one and placing kisses on every exposed skin. “Are we done with it now?” She whispers while trailing her lips at the valley between the redhead’s breasts, licking her lips at the sight of _her_ favorite red lacy bra.

 

Cheryl swallowed, looking down at her cocky wife while slightly shaking her head.

 

Toni chuckles, tugging the lapels of the blouse and pulling it away from Cheryl. Her fingers found the hook of the redhead’s bra and toyed with it. She then trailed her lips on her wife’s clothed breasts, while her fingers danced around the hook. She feel Cheryl’s breath hitching whenever she would tease its release. “What about now?”

 

Cheryl clenched her jaw. “You know you can’t sex me up every time you want to get away with something. One day, you won’t get away with it.”

 

Toni raised an eyebrow at her. _Bingo._ “One day is not today, though. Giddy-up!” In one swift motion, she picks up the resisting redhead and propped her on her waist. She lands a solid slap on the redhead’s butt eliciting a laugh from the two girls.

 

Cheryl squeals, wrapping her legs around the brunette. It always does surprise her whenever Toni does this. Her wife can be so strong for a small woman.

 

Toni holds her thigh in one hand, and held a candle on the other before running straight to their bedroom.

 

And god, as Toni strips down in front of her eagerly, Cheryl thinks she couldn’t fall more in love with her. She loves Toni. And they could be living in a gutter somewhere with all the mice and cockroaches and all the vermin in the world and Cheryl would be the happiest woman in the whole universe, as long as she’s got Toni.

  


* * *

 

  


Cheryl has been staring at the papers carefully spread over her study table for an hour now. She adjusts her glasses from the bridge of her nose before removing it completely to rub her eyes. She places them back on and then jots down on a piece of paper.

 

She tries to record all the money that goes in and out and tries to think of a way to solve their money issues altogether. She feels guilty that Toni has to work literally three jobs to provide for them while she just finishes her degree. And she glances down at the couple of hundred bucks on her hands. It’s nearly not enough. They need to pay rent, groceries, and she has grossly expensive textbooks to pay for.

 

She runs a hand over her hair, putting all the bills down. She glances over her phone, puffing to see the battery on 9%. But then an unstoppable smile crept up her lips at the sight of her lockscreen. It never fails to do that every time she checks the time either. It’s a photo of her and her wife at their wedding. There was nothing fabulous or extravagant about it. It was just the two of them in their wedding gowns, their faces only millimeters from each other, both their smiles brighter than the sun.

 

She unlocks it unwillingly, scrolling through the bunch of unread text messages. A few of them were from her mom and dad, which she deletes immediately not even bothering to open it. One was from Jason.

  


**JJ [ 7:58pm ] : Dinner tomorrow at my place. Jun and Dag miss their aunties.**

 

Cheryl smiles at the text. She reads the time. _12:47am._ It has been almost five hours. She wonders if her brother is still awake.

 

**Me [ 12:47 am] : as long as there are no mom and dad**

 

She puts her phone down, glancing over to the pieces of paper scattered around the desk. She was then surprised to see the typing symbol, meaning Jason was awake.

 

**JJ [ 12:48am ] : no i promise. but i’ve also invited everyone so…**

 

**Me [ 12:48am ] : that’s nice of you, dear brother of mine.**

 

**JJ [ 12: 49 am ] : i’m surprised you’re surprised. i’m always nice.**

 

Cheryl smiles at that, because yes, Jason is nice. He’s always been nice. He’s the only family she’s had at their wedding. And it was a dream come true to Cheryl.

 

**Me [ 12:50 am ] : that you are, twinny.**

 

**JJ [ 12:50 am ] : cher, how many times have i told u not to call me that. Stop making it happen. It’s not gonna happen.**

 

Cheryl rolled her eyes at her brother’s foolishness.

 

**JJ [ 12:51 am] : why are you up this late anyways??**

 

The redhead snorted, thinking of the perfect way to annoy her brother.

 

 **Me [ 12:51 am ] : why are** **_you_ ** **up, jj? ;)**

 

He took a minute to reply.

 

**JJ [ 12:53 am ] : ew okay, no. as much as i love tiny t, baby sister’s sex life is not something that i want to discuss or even think about for that matter**

 

Cheryl giggles audibly. Jason is _so_ easy.

 

**Me [ 12:54 am ] : and yet, you understood what it meant. i dont wanna talk or think about your sex life either, jj.**

 

**JJ [ 12:54 am ] : this conversation is over go to bed, babysis.**

 

The redhead rolls her eyes at the nickname. Although she lowkey lives for it. She loves it when Jason big brothers her, even though he’s just technically three minutes older.

 

She sighs before typing. Cheryl contemplates before hitting send.

 

**Me [ 12:53 am ] : i cant :(**

 

Jason’s reply was instant and unhesitant, which made her heart clench.

 

**JJ [ 12:53 am ] : what’s wrong??? did tiny t do something? whose ass am i throwing???**

 

**Me [ 12:54 am] : god no. it’s not toni. she’s been amazing actually. but we’re having money troubles, you know, but idk we’ll be okay.**

 

**JJ [ 12:54 am ] : i’m so sorry, cher. you know i’ll do anything for you, right? both of you. mom and dad can suck ass.**

 

Cheryl sighs, looking at the wall of photographs before her, all of them taken by her talented wife. Her life with Toni has been the best, something that she couldn’t ever imagine happening to her. It has been a dream come true. She looks at her wife at the photos and couldn’t help the warm feeling that spreads in her chest. Toni deserves the world. Toni deserves to have her dreams come true as well. And it breaks her heart to see the love of her life struggling like this.

 

But if being with Toni taught her one thing, it’s faith. Toni had faith in her, when she was still a horrible human being. It’s her turn to have faith on her wife. She deserves it.

 

_She deserves more._

 

Toni Topaz deserves everything in the goddamned world. She deserves to be recognized for her amazing talent, her pure heart and her strong mind.

 

“Come to bed…” she hears her whisper, and then feels a soft kiss behind her ear. “I miss you.”

 

Cheryl shivered at Toni tracing her collarbones from behind.

 

“Hey you.” She tugs on the brunette, pulling her on her lap.

 

“What are you doing up? Homework?”

 

Cheryl gives her a sheepish smile, before shaking her head. “I’m trying to see what bills we can pay.”

 

Toni’s eyes furrowed, looking at the paperwork in front of her.

 

“I’m tracking the ins and outs of money. You didn’t marry a business major for nothing.” She says caressing the brunette’s inner thigh.

 

Toni squints, humming. “Why does that turn me on?”

 

Cheryl laughs, biting the shell of Toni’s ear playfully. “Get your head out of the gutter for once, babe. And I’m also talking to Jason. He’s inviting us for dinner tomorrow night, with the gang.”

 

“Ugh, yes. I swear to god, your brother knows exactly what I need. I’m blown away right now. Is it too late for me to marry him instead?”

 

The redhead slaps her wife’s bare thigh followed by a loud gasp from the brunette. “We have twintuition, remember? It works for other people as well. And no! No! No! Nooo! I’m the one you get!” Cheryl exclaims, wrapping her arms tightly around Toni’s waist.

 

Toni chuckles, trailing her fingers into red hair. “Marrying you brother is like, marrying a male version of you. Which is…”

 

“Be very careful with your next words, Antoinette…” Cheryl glares.

 

“Weird! I was gonna say weird. He’s like…I don’t know, you with a penis. Which is weird—not because he has a—Like I’m not—mean, I’m gonna shut up now. I love you.” Toni laughs at the expression on her wife’s face, cupping it before pressing their lips together.

 

And they kiss until Cheryl had to pull back for air.

 

“I love you.” She says, tucking a piece of pink hair behind Toni’s ears. “You make me very, very happy. And I’m very proud to call myself your wife.”

 

“Come here.” Toni comments before diving in for another peck. “Tomorrow’s kind of perfect. I’m going to ask Jason about that job that he wants to offer me.”

 

“At Blossom Maple Farms?”

 

“I mean, yeah…”

 

“Toni.”

 

“Cher.”

 

“I’m just thinking maybe it’s time…”

 

“Time for what? No. You’re not giving up on photography. I’m not going to let you.”

 

“Cher, I’m exhausted. It’s really tough work. And I’m juggling three jobs at once, I can’t.”

 

“That’s why I want to take your place at Pop’s.”

 

“Not this again, please.” Toni stood up, pacing in front of Cheryl.

 

The redhead could feel Toni’s frustration over it and she thinks it’s too late to argue about it again, and so she takes a deep breath, softening her facial expression. “I just don’t want you giving up on your dreams. Look at this,” she gestured towards the wall, “it’s amazing...you’re good at what you do. And I want to help you because...you helped fulfill mine. This...this right here, our own little world, no matter how cheap or how small you try to make it seem, it’s my dream come true, TT.”

 

Toni glances over the wall, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. “Okay.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Cheryl squeezes her wife in a tight hug before resigning both of them to their bedroom.


	2. just because it wont come easily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> toni makes another important decision. cute choni things idk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! i dont know what to say. enjoy this buildup chapter. 
> 
> this is heavily inspired by some of my fav bechloe fanfictions btw.

“Why the long face, Tiny?” Fangs asked, taking a bite of his burger, narrowing his eyes to examine his friend’s face more. The tiny brunette has been pouting ever since her shift started, even Pop has noticed and tried checking in on her. 

 

“What?” Toni attempts a fake smile, collecting the tray of dirty dishes before wiping the table carefully. 

 

“You don’t fool us, Topaz.” Sweet Pea comments, swallowing a bite of his own burger. “How is everything going on with Cheryl? You guys good?”

 

“Everything’s fine, good.” Toni shrugs, walking towards the booth where the two boys were in while wiping her hands on her apron. “Can I get you guys anything more before my shift ends?” She asks, adjusting her half ponytail. 

 

“Yeah, honesty.” Sweet Pea deadpans. “Sit your ass down. What’s wrong?”

 

Toni complies, letting out a puff of air. “Just the usual...you know, me being a shitty wife.”

 

“Hey, don’t say that.” Fangs cut in. “You’re not shitty. Tell us what happened. How’s Cheryl?”

 

“She’s great, studying really hard to finish her degree.” Toni fiddles with the wedding band on her ring finger. “Our lights got cut out again”

 

“What?” Fangs exclaimed, a little loudly much to Toni’s embarrassment. The anxious brunette looks around, relieved to see there were hardly any customers. “Why didn’t you tell us? You could’ve crashed at mine. Kevin won’t mind.” 

 

“Or mine. Veronica rarely stays the night these days anyway. Hey, Toni.” 

 

Toni sinks in her seat. Truthfully, she’s getting kind of tired going to their friends’ places whenever shit like this happened. She knows she can count on them, and she’s grateful to have friends who have their backs, especially Cheryl, but god, she’s tired of putting short term solutions to long term problems. She’s tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Cheryl doesn’t deserve that kind of life. When she asked the redhead to marry her, she didn’t intend for this to happen. She just wanted to get Cheryl away from the clutch of her manipulating parents, wanted to rescue her, give her a better life. But now she’s second guessing if she really can give her a better life. 

 

The brunette shakes her head, focusing her attention back to her bestfriends. “I need you guys to do me a favor.”

 

“Anything.” The boys said in unison. 

 

Toni sighs. “I need you guys to help me sell my camera.”

 

“Toni, no.”

 

The brunette lets out an angry sigh. She’s tired of hearing this, from Cheryl, from her bestfriends, from everyone. “Please, guys. Just help me find someone who’d want to buy my camera.”

 

“Toni, you love your camera.” Fangs said softly. 

 

“Well, I love my wife more. And keeping a roof over her head is more important than a camera.” 

 

“You’ve had that camera ever since you were fourteen, Tiny. I don’t think I have even seen you let anyone touch it. You wouldn’t even let me borrow it.” Sweet Pea says carefully. 

 

“How much do you need?” Fangs asks, already reaching for the pockets of his polished Riverdale PD uniform to get his wallet. 

 

Toni shakes her head firmly, extending a hand to the fussing police officer. “No thanks. Just help me with selling my camera.” Toni gives Sweet Pea a scolding look as well. 

 

“I’m just paying for our food.” Sweet Pea comments, raising both his hands up in surrender before placing a fifty dollar bill on the table. 

 

“Will you guys help me or not?”

 

The two boys shared a look of hesitance. 

 

“Of course we will, Tiny.” 

 

“Okay, good. Let me just put in your payment and then I’ll get my stuff and we can walk out togethe.” Toni stands up, fetching the money on the table and asking Pop for the receipt. She bids the old man goodbye before walking towards the two policemen, her duffel bag carefully slung on her shoulders. 

 

She clears her throat, breaking the two boys’ discussion before reaching for her camera bag inside. Toni hands Sweet Pea her prized possession, inhaling deeply. “Thanks a lot, guys.”

 

“We really can’t convince you not to go through with this?” Toni looks at Fangs, biting her lip. 

 

_ Getting food into your wife’s stomach is more important, Toni. It’s just a fucking camera. You can replace it soon.  _

 

Toni releases her bottom lip. “Yeah.” The brunette hands the taller policeman his change. 

 

“Keep the change, Tiny.”

 

“No. Sweets.” Toni sighs exasperatedly. 

 

“Look, it’s just change. I’ll leave it anyway. It’s your choice if you want it to go to waste.” 

 

Toni blinks, trying to think for a second before surrendering and pocketing the twenty five dollar change. “You suck.”

 

“Yeah yeah. How much are you willing to give this up for?” Sweet Pea takes the camera out, briefly examining it. It’s the first time that he could actually hold the piece of gadget since Toni wouldn’t even let it out of her sight. 

 

“Three hundred will be great.” Toni releases her hair from the ponytail. “But I’ll take what I can get. Thanks again. Oh, and if you mention any of this to Cheryl, I will bury you both alive.” She gives them both a sickeningly sweet smile. 

 

“Gee, Tiny. Okay, fuck.” Fangs says. “You guys are coming to Jason’s tonight, right? I can’t even remember the last time we really got together. I’m excited.” The raven haired boy propped his chin on his elbow enthusiastically. 

 

_ Right, tonight.  _ Toni almost forgot about that. 

 

“You got anything to do after this, Tiny? I was thinking maybe we could go to mine and play some video games to kill time until then.” 

 

Toni internally winces at Sweet Pea’s words. She would love nothing more than to chill with her best friends. But judging from all their pending bills to pay, something tells her  _ chill  _ should be the last thing that she should do. 

 

“I have a shift at the Wyrm in…” Toni glances at her phone. “...about an hour so I don’t think it’s a good idea. I might never leave.” She chuckles. 

 

“Oh come on. At least you have an hour. Come hang with your boys. I promise if you don’t leave in an hour, I’ll kick you out myself.” 

 

“You better not, Peabrain.” 

 

Sweet Pea laughs, giving Toni an innocent shrug.

 

“Alright. An hour. Let me just text my baby and then we can go.” 

 

_ “Let me just text my baby and then we can go.”  _ The taller boy mocked which made Toni raise a middle finger on him with Fangs almost dying in laughter. 

 

**Me [ 2:49pm ] : hey babe, i hope you’re having a great day at school. i just finished my shift here at Pop’s. i’m gonna chill with the boys for an hour before i start at the Wyrm. i love you. text me when you can.**

 

Toni closes the thread that belongs to her wife, scrolling through the rest of her messages. She couldn’t suppress the eyeroll reading through a message from her boss from the studio, telling her to come tonight.  _ Fuck no.  _ She thinks. She’s having dinner with her friends tonight. She deletes the message immediately. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Fangs asks. 

 

“It’s my idiot boss. He wants me to come to the studio tonight.”

 

“You still work for that pig? He doesn’t even treat you right, Toni.”

 

“That’s exactly why I’m not going.” Toni laughs. “Cheryl thinks it’s good experience though.” 

 

“Well she is kind of right.” Sweet Pea comments. 

 

“I don’t know. I’m kind of not feeling that studio anymore. I was excited at first because you know, I’m assistant photographer. I thought I get to take pictures, but all I do is hand him his coffee, hold a fucking light or touch up bratty models’ make ups.” 

 

“Your time is coming, Tiny. What are you going to do now? Look for other studios?” 

 

“I don’t know, Fangs. Maybe it’s time I put it to rest. I’m thinking of taking Jason’s offer at Blossom Maple Farms.” 

 

Sweet Pea shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “What did red say about that?”

 

“She doesn’t want me to, of course.”

 

Fangs nods. “Remember that we’re here for you, okay?”

 

Toni mimics the boy before laughing. “Okay, let’s go now before you cry babies cry in front of me. We don’t do that shit.” 

 

* * *

 

Toni smiles, taking a break from wiping the bar to sneak a peek on her phone. Her face instantly lights up at the name that popped out, the lockscreen factor was just a bonus. She places a thumb on her phone to unlock it and her eyes read the text message carefully. 

 

**hot wife [ 6:54 pm ]: hi baby. sorry i just got out of class. i’m almost home. how’s your day been?**

 

Toni types eagerly, propping herself on the stool. She’s thankful it’s a slow night and there are barely any customers. 

 

**me [ 6:55 pm ]: i’m missing you like crazy, babe. i’m just finishing up here. i can’t wait to see your face so i can kiss it.**

 

Cheryl’s reply was instant which made Toni smile even more. 

 

**hot wife [ 6:55pm ]: you sure that’s the only thing you want to do to my face?**

 

And if blushing could kill, Toni would be choking on the floor right now. She looks around slowly, making sure nobody is around to see her  _ this  _ flustered. God, Cheryl knows exactly how to work her up. And the tongue and horse riding emoji at the end of the sentence,  _ fuck.  _

 

**Me [ 6:56pm ]: mrs cheryl topaz, i’m at work.**

 

**hot wife [ 6:56pm ] : hmm too bad. thought we could go for a quickie sext before going to JJ’s.**

 

Toni chuckles, shaking her head before typing. 

 

**Me [ 6:56pm ] : behave tonight and i’ll make it up to you when we get home.**

 

**hot wife [ 6:57pm ] : nevermind. i just got home. you don’t mind if i get a headstart, do you?**

 

Toni runs a hand over her pink hair, gripping her phone tighter. She feels like she’s going to combust, damn Cheryl and her teasing. 

 

**Me [ 6:58pm ] : i don’t mind**

**Me [ 6:58pm ] : as long as you show me**

 

Toni taps on the counter with her fingers, seeing the three dots popping out on her screen. She subconsciously glances behind again. These are for her eyes, and her eyes only. 

 

**hot wife [ 6:59pm ] :** **_photo attachment_ **

 

The brunette blinks at the photo her wife sent her. Books, papers and a pen.  _ What the fuck?  _ Althoughp, there’s a slight pinch on her heart at the fact that Cheryl was trying to get her homework done in the dark, with only a flashlight to work with. She gulps, trying to wash the bitter taste in her tongue. 

 

**hot wife [ 6:59pm ] : lol you’re so easy baby.**

**hot wife [ 6:59pm ] : i’m trying to finish my homework before we go. don’t pick me up, okay? i’ll just see you there.**

 

Toni bites her lip. She couldn’t get pissed at her wife is she wanted to. Although, she’s gonna have to get her back at this later. 

 

**Me [ 7:00pm ] : you’re lucky you’re sexy**

**Me [ 7:00pm ] : and cute**

**Me [ 7:00pm ] : see you there. i love you.**

 

**hot wife [ 7:00pm ] : i love you baby**

 

Toni locks her phone before picking up her stuff at the back. “Birdie! I’m going!” She shouts for the old serpent to hear. 

 

“Already?” The owner of the bar pops out from behind the counter. 

 

“I got dinner at my wife’s brother’s tonight, remember?” Toni tugs on her duffel bag, feeling a little disappointed at the lightness the absence of her camera brought. 

 

The older serpent squints her eye at her, looking at her from head to foot. “Ah! Still associating with the Blossoms, I see. Are you going to wear that at the dinner?”

 

Toni looks at her purple flannel and ripped jeans. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? It’s just Jason. And it’s not a proper sit down dinner. Plus, Fangs and Sweet Pea are invited too. I’m sure I’m not gonna be the only one in the wrong dress code.”  

 

“Alright, alright.” The lady chuckles. “Just be careful, kid. A young man in a fancy suit came by earlier today, asking about you.”

 

That ptensed the brunette up. “What? Who? Did he say who he was? What did you say?” 

 

The older serpent takes a drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke away from Toni. “Nah. Just be careful, okay? The Blossoms aren’t the people you wanna get associated with let alone piss, especially Clifford Blossom. Kid, that man could buy your life and it wouldn’t even make a serious dent on his back account. You’re playing house with his daughter. Be careful. I just told the man I don’t know any Antoinette.”

 

Toni sighs. “Right. Thank you, Birdie.” She says quite sharply before storming out of the place. 

 

What the fuck is she supposed to do? Cheryl’s her wife. She’s already in her life. Nothing could come between that. Let Clifford Blossom try. Just let him fucking try. 

 

* * *

 

Toni was the last one to arrive, of course. The long drive from the southside to Thistlehouse, along with the pressure of working all day and the information Birdie told her, tired the brunette to no end. As soon as she arrived, cheers echoed around the patio of the cottage where her wife’s twin and family live. She immediately finds the seat next to Cheryl, who beamed at her as she placed a soft kiss on top of her head. 

 

The brunette plasters a fake smile, waving all the late teases from the long table. “Hey.” She mutters, rubbing circles along the inside of the redhead’s thigh with the pad of her thumbs. 

 

Cheryl immediately fixed her a plate, getting all of her favorites from the bunch. She roams her eyes around the place. Jughead was in the middle of telling his story about a raid they’d done earlier today. Toni couldn’t grasp much of the information. She’s sure it’s just him bragging about his new position as sheriff again. 

 

Toni’s stomach churned audibly, her hand snaking its way around it. She rubs the tiredness on her eyes with the other.  _ God,  _ is it still legal to be this tired? She feels like she’s ready to drop any minute now. 

 

But then she glances to her right and she sees Cheryl, Cheryl listening intently to Jughead’s story, while tracing her own circles on the back of her hand, Cheryl’s lips curling as she concentrates on slicing the piece of steak on her plate, the warmth of Cheryl’s hand on her own. She shifts closer, trying to take a better taste of that world.  

 

“You okay?” Cheryl whispers in her ear. 

 

Toni meets the redhead’s eyes, her lips curving into a wide smile. “Yeah, fine.” She picks up the knife and fork, getting a slice of steak in her mouth. 

 

“JJ wants us to stay the night. I told him I’m going to run the idea by you first.” Cheryl’s breath hit the back of her neck, making her shiver a little. 

 

Toni swallows. “Yeah, that’s kind of perfect actually.” She was more than anxious to think about how Jason figured their situation out. She feels like she’s sinking into a pit of shame and guilt more and more everyday with the fact that she took his sister away from a life of comfort and luxury, which was obviously the only two things that she can’t give her. 

 

She didn’t even realize she was bouncing her leg until Cheryl placed a comforting hand on her kneecap. “Talk later?”

 

Toni nods, before pecking Cheryl’s cheek. The two of them tried to socialize for the rest of the night, with Toni letting herself chuckle at Archie’s jokes here and there and Cheryl casually side eyeing Toni from time to time. She could sense Toni’s anxiety. Something’s wrong. That’s just how they work. And as she glances over her twin brother seated at the head of the table, she could only shake her head at the curious look he gave her. 

 

X

 

A few hours later, Toni found herself admiring a view that could easily make anyone’s heart melt. She stands in the doorway, her body leaning over a wall. Tonight, she is an audience. 

 

_ “Little Red Riding Hood gathered some stones and they filled the wolf's belly with them.”  _ Cheryl’s baby voice echoed around the room. Toni couldn’t resist the tears forming in her eyes. She wants  _ this _ future with her. 

 

She wants their own set of twins, and she wants Cheryl to tuck them to bed as Toni kisses them good night. She wants sleepless baby nights with their ginger babies screaming and crying for no reason at all. More importantly, she wants to have enough resources to actually make that happen. But their life now is shit. She can’t even afford to take her wife out on a proper date. 

 

Tears continued to fall from her eyes as she listens to her wife lull their niece and nephew to sleep. 

 

_ “When he woke up, he was scared and tried to run away but the stones were so heavy that he fell down dead.”  _

 

_ “Dead?”  _ She hears four-year-old Juniper ask. 

 

_ “Yes, my love. The bad wolf died. Shall we continue with the story?” _

 

_ “Yes, Aunt C…”  _ A sleepy Dagwood comments.  _ “Jun, shut up.”  _

 

Toni chuckles at that, wiping the tears in her eyes. 

 

“It’s a nice view, huh.” Jason says softly from behind her, making Toni gasp. “Whenever I’ve had a long day at work, the first thing that my body searches for is a bed, and rest. I get antsy and a little rude, specially when I’m sleep deprived. But then I come home to their mother tucking them to bed like this, and suddenly I feel all the exhaustion leave my body. They’re...the best things in my life.”

 

Toni looks at her wife’s brother, Cheryl’s literal other half. “Yeah...I—they’re awesome.”

 

Jason gives him a big smile and from then she could see their resemblance. They both have the same grin, one that never fails to make Toni’s heart skip a beat. “You okay, Tiny T?”

 

The brunette scoffs at the nickname. No matter how many times she’s punched the guy’s arm for calling her that, he never listens. And so Toni has kind of given up on it already. “I’m fine. This is just...amazing. She’s amazing with your kids.”

 

“She’s gonna be amazing with yours too.” Jason suggests, poking her arm softly. 

 

And for a moment she imagines what it would be like when you know, she finally gets her break and she finally gets to afford the life that she wants for them. Toni wants what a normal person wants. White picket fence, middle-class suburban life, 2.5 children and a dog, patio garden, peaceful living. Coming home with a bouquet of flowers for her wife. She would kiss Cheryl’s cheek while she prepares for the kids’ bake sale at school. You know cheesy, cliché things like that. 

 

“I—yeah...Jason.” Toni starts. “I’m sorry.”

 

It was Jason’s turn to scoff at her, followed by a shake of the head and a chuckle. “You have nothing to apologize for, Toni. If you’re trying to say what I think you’re trying to say, then just save it. If anything, you made her life easier. Look at her.”

 

And just in time Cheryl’s giggle could be heard, followed by Jun’s sleepy voice. 

 

“I have never seen Cheryl this happy. It might sound too cheesy, older brother-y of me. And I know it sounds like, I don’t know, something that I would really say to make you feel better but, you make her very happy. Sure, her eyes used to sparkle on sales at Prada, you knew that, but her eyes shine a little different now. And you better trust me on that. We got twin—“

 

“Twintuition, I know. I will die if I hear that one more time.” Toni rolls her eyes playfully, before sighing and folding her arms on her chest. “I don’t know, J. Why can’t I give her both?”

 

Jason matched her sigh. “Cheryl doesn’t want anything.”

 

“But I need to at least earn enough to keep our rent so that we don’t get our lights cut out. Just... _ that.”  _ Toni runs a hand over to her pink hair. “Is the job opening still open?”

 

The redheaded boy raised an eyebrow at her. “She would kill me, Toni.”

 

“I’m desperate, Jason.”

 

“Why don’t you give it a few more days? A week. And then you can come to me if you’re still set on it.” 

  
_ “The three ate some cake, happy in the knowledge that the wolf was not going to be a danger anymore.” _

 

They both hear the story coming to an end. Toni nods carefully, which her brother-in-law returned. She turns on her heel, making a beeline towards Cheryl’s old bedroom. 

 

_ “Little Red Riding Hood decided never to leave the path again and to listen more carefully to what her mother told her. The end.” _

 

* * *

 

Cheryl carefully picks up her niece and places her under the duvet of her toddler bed. She pecks the top of the toddler’s head softly before tugging the silk closer to her body, doing the same to her nephew. 

 

It has been almost an hour since she was held hostage by the two toddlers, demanding she read them their favorite bedtime story and giving them kiss goodnight. 

 

Thistlehouse is a little bit different from her childhood home but it still gives her the creeps. Walking briskly, she makes her way to her old bedroom, finding Toni standing in the dark. She steps closer to her wife. She seems to be in a really deep thought. And so she wraps her arms around the brunette’s waist gently so as to not scare her. “What’s wrong?” She places an open-mouthed kiss on her wife’s jaw. 

 

She intertwines their fingers. “Just tired.” Toni sighs. 

 

Cheryl runs her hands over to her wife’s back, stopping at her shoulders, before applying a little bit of pressure on it. 

 

Toni moans at the feel of the tight circles being drawn on her shoulders. “God Cher, your fucking hands…”

 

“Shirt off, please. Lay on your stomach.” Cheryl whispers. 

 

“Yes, ma’am.” The brunette giggles, turning around at once before letting her body collapse on the bed. She tugs on her shirt, as Cheryl rummages through a drawer in search for body oil. 

 

The redhead sat on the bed, as Toni squirmed to get in position. Cheryl slaps her wife’s butt, unable to control herself before fiddling with the brunette’s bra. “You ready?”

 

The moan that escaped Toni’s mouth wasn’t subtle, not even close. God, it felt  _ heavenly _ ...to have Cheryl’s hands on her at the end of a very long and tiring day, soothing her strained muscles. 

 

“Hush, TT. They’re gonna think we’re having sex.”

 

“What’s wrong about that? You’re my _ wife _ .” Toni really just finds every reason to call Cheryl her wife. 

 

Cheryl giggles at that. “Well...there is nothing wrong with having sex with your wife, isn’t that right, my love? What would be wrong is having sex with your wife in a room just a few feet away from where I just tucked my niece and nephew in for bed.” 

 

“Oh please, they’re four.” 

“Which is exactly why we’re not gonna do it, baby. I don’t wanna scar them for life. Plus, I will never hear the end of it from JJ, if Juniper starts saying curse words or starts mouthing  _ oh toni _ in high pitched voice.”

 

Toni snorted, that would be the highlight of her life. And Jason will never ever forgive them for corrupting the twins, letting them know what their favorite Aunt Cheryl sounds like when she climaxes. Not that they would actually remember that stuff when they grow up,  _ right?  _ Right? 

 

“I miss you though.” The brunette sighs. 

 

“I’m right here.” Cheryl answers. 

 

It was silent for a while. Cheryl could feel something’s bothering her wife but deciding she’s just gonna let her tell her. Toni will tell her. Toni tells her everything. And just when Cheryl is about to say something to try to diffuse the tension…

 

“Someone came by The Whyte Wyrm today looking for me.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I don’t know who he was because I wasn’t there but Birdie said that he was a  _ young man in a fancy suit. _ ”

 

“What? Who could—“

 

_ Ohh _ . Cheryl stops her hands from rubbing Toni’s back. No. They can’t do this. They can’t ruin it for her. Again. She’s happy. She’s happy now. God, let her be happy. 

 

“Babe?” Toni turns to lay on her back. She places a hand to cup her wife’s cheek to get her attention. “Hey.”

 

“I—I’m so sorry, baby. That’s...that’s not okay. That’s invasive, not to mention wrong, in so many levels. I’m going to call them right now—” Cheryl moved to get her phone, but Toni yanked her back down. 

 

“Please, don’t. It’s fine. He didn’t catch me. Maybe he’s just a spy trying to get information, our address. Please just...stay here with me?”

 

“Toni, this has gone into a whole different level. They’re sending spies now? What’s next? I don’t—I don’t even want to think about that…”

 

“Then don’t. Maybe they’re just worried about you too. Maybe you should return their calls one of these days. But definitely not right now. Because right now, you’re cuddling me.”

 

Cheryl’s nerves calmed down at her wife’s soothing words. Oh she’s definitely going to talk to her parents alright and she’s going to give them a piece of her mind. This has gone overboard. Toni doesn’t deserve this. The woman that she loves does not deserve to get treated like shit by her parents. 

 

Toni pulls her wife down on the bed with her, adjusting carefully to make room. 

 

“I love you. You know I will do anything for you, right?”

 

Cheryl nods, snuggling closer to her wife’s neck. “I will do anything for you too, TT. My parents are going to hear an earful, I promise. They’re sick.” 

 

“Then that’s all that matters.” Toni places another soft kiss on the redhead’s hairline. “I think I need a shower though.”

 

“Hmm’kay…”

 

Toni sits up, slowly untangling their limbs. She leans in pecking Cheryl’s lips three more times before making an effort to stand up. 

 

“You think Jun and Dag will hear us from behind two doors?” Toni asks, sitting back on the bed, immediately snaking her hand under her wife’s shirt to cup both breasts. 

 

“It’s not happening, Toni!” Cheryl yanks her wife’s hands from under her shirt before kicking her butt playfully. “Now go.”

 

“Fine.” Toni stomped, slamming the door of the en suite making Cheryl giggle. 

 

“I love you!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo what u guys think? i’m thinking of putting this fic into a series tho. it isn’t even halfway thru. but yea, i’m kind of enjoying this universe.


	3. it’s okay if you can’t catch your breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they get their electricity back. cheryl talks to her parents. major shit going down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayoo! i’m back with chapter three. i’m deleting the “cute things” remark on the story summary cuz shit’s about to get down and it aint even cute. 
> 
> anywhozers. smut warning. hee hee enjoy

There are many things that could make Toni Topaz smile. She is also convinced that she really isn’t a hard person to please, growing up with absolutely nothing. In fact, she could name three simple things off the top of her head.

 

Number three. Photography.

 

Photography is something she’s passionate about. There’s something so magical about having the power to freeze time in just one click. Not to mention the art. Toni loves art. She loves how it makes her feel. Free. Unadulterated. Her heart rejoices at the thought of capturing moments, mostly of people she loved. Her friends. And there comes the second thing that makes Toni happy.

 

The serpents have been her family ever since both her parents died when she was still very young. Being a serpent wasn’t something that she thought she would have to be, but is something that is _her._ She was born to be one. Her parents had been serpents, according to what her grandpa told her. And so it only fits that she was one. And she used to think there was nothing more meant to be for her.

 

That is until she met Cheryl. Cheryl Blossom, now Cheryl Topaz. Toni still marvels at the fact that her wife was willing to give up her last name for hers.

 

So no, nothing was more made for her in this world than Cheryl Topaz. Her wife, who is currently dancing around their apartment in nothing but her flannel and underwear, swaying her hips gently to the soft music playing in the background. She had gotten their lights cut back on this morning, since Sweet Pea gave her five hundred dollars from selling her camera.

 

Toni licks her lips, grinning from ear to ear at the sight of her wife clutching a spatula, using it as a mic to mouth the lyrics of Frank Ocean’s Thinkin ‘Bout You.

 

And now she understands what Jason meant about the exhaustion and fatigue leaving the body.

 

So she likes watching her wife. She’s got a hot wife, sue her.

 

She glances down to the curve of her hips, the way they would move at every sway. The tight red set of underwear hugging the redhead’s voluptuous ass. God, she loved that ass.  

 

The redhead danced for a while until she noticed Toni hovering in the doorway. She stopped moving altogether, her face flushing into a deep shade of red that almost matched her hair.

 

“Baby, what are you doing? How long have you been standing there?” Cheryl steps closer to her nonetheless.

 

Toni wraps her arms around her wife’s waist, her hand tracing the material of her own flannel shirt before leaning in, capturing Cheryl’s bottom lip between her own. The brunette moans the moment their lips touched. “You...look good...in my clothes.” She says in between sensual pecks. Her hands trailed downwards, cupping one of her most favorite parts of her wife’s body. “Or should I say, my clothes look good on you.”

 

“How did you come up with the money to get our lights back on?” Cheryl asks, planting soft kisses on Toni’s jaw.

 

Her jaw tightens. “Sold some stuff I didn’t need.”

 

She could feel Cheryl sag against her as she pulls back a little bit. “I don’t want you selling your stuff, Toni.” She glares at her, her lips moving into a pout.

 

“Okay, not fair that I’m getting...I’m getting the pout right now.” The brunette points a finger to her face playfully. “You sold some of your clothes after we moved in together.”

 

“Those are clothes that I don’t even like and don’t even wear anymore. They’re just a waste of space.” Cheryl pouted even more.

 

“See. Same.” Toni dove into the redhead’s neck, like she always does whenever she needed to silence her wife. “What are you making?”

 

Cheryl groans when Toni sunk her teeth on a particular spot in her neck. “M-Mac and cheese.”

 

“You don’t wanna eat out?”

 

“Mmm...maybe I do.” Cheryl tugs on the belt hoops of her jeans to pull her closer, her bottom lip stuck between her teeth, before actually snapping the button open with such ease.

 

Toni pulls back from their heating up make out session. “I’m serious. We can go eat out. I got a couple of hundred bucks from selling some stuff I didn’t need. We can call Sweet Pea and Ronnie, make it a double date night?”

 

Cheryl pauses and Toni could feel the cogs turning inside her wife’s head. “I don’t want that, babe. I’m happy just to stay in with you.”

 

“I can hear you computing in your head. Don’t do that, baby. Please don’t worry about it. We’ve got money for the rest of the bills, and for your textbooks.”

 

“I—That’s good, baby. But I really just want to stay in tonight. I promise. We can go out tomorrow, maybe?”

 

Toni palms her wife’s cheek. “Okay.”

 

“How was work?” Cheryl casually pulls back, making her way to the stove to check on the mac n cheese. It’s literally the only thing that she can cook. Growing up with a chef to cook for her, Cheryl struggled a little adjusting to having to cook not just her own meals, but also Toni’s. But she’s learning, slowly getting the hang of it. She’s good.

 

“Same. My idiot boss is still an asshole, still having me fetch his coffee like I’m his secretary or something.” Toni sighs pulling out a chair from the breakfast bar. She puts two fingers on her temple, circling it firmly. “Ugh, my head hurts.”

 

Cheryl turns the stove off first, before turning around to face her. “I’m sorry baby. You look mighty tired.” She sat on her lap. “Let me make it better.” Her breath ghosted Toni’s neck. “...I know a very effective way to naturally get rid of a headache…”

 

Toni’s eyes widen at her wife lowering down to sit on her knees. A mixture of love and lust could be seen through the redhead’s eyes. Still dazed, Toni lifts herself up to help Cheryl get her jeans off, followed by her underwear.

 

She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand as Cheryl licks and kisses her inner thigh. “Please, baby.”

 

“Shh...no need to beg. I’m doing this for _you._ As a reward.” And just as Toni was about to raise the question, “for being the best wife in the world.”

 

“That’s y—ah! Fuck.” Toni’s hand immediately grips through red hair, holding in on one bunch to avoid getting it stuck in her face. “Christ Cheryl, that feels so good…” She says just as her wife’s tongue swirls through _the_ spot.

 

Cheryl dips her head even more, her tongue rashly exploring the Toni’s insides. She’s enjoying how Toni’s hips would buck up and writhe off the chair everytime she alternates between sucking her clit and licking her entrance.

 

“So good, babe.” Toni whimpers, biting her bottom lip so hard she could already taste iron, but god, she doesn’t care. “More...N-Need more, baby girl.”

 

Then, Toni lets out something that sounds like a cross between a groan and a moan as Cheryl inserted her middle and ring finger in her. The angle is sort of weird, but it still didn’t fail to make Toni’s head spin. The pounding in her head immediately replaced by stars, floating stars.

 

Cheryl kept on pumping in and out of her, her tongue never leaving her clit and it wasn’t long until the brunette is a trembling mess above her. She sped up her actions, releasing her clit for the first time in what felt like ages, and moans, actually fucking moans filthily, opening her mouth as she feels Toni’s walls getting tighter and tighter by the second.

 

The redhead’s lips curved into a smirk. Her wife is _close,_ she could feel it. She connects her tongue to Toni’s clit again, before pulling it between her lips. Which was apparently the right thing to do because Toni _loses_ it.

 

A string of incoherent curse words falling from Toni’s mouth, as well her back arching up from the chair indicated a much needed release.

 

Cheryl raises her head after placing one last kiss on Toni, her face wet of sweat, Toni and her own saliva. She wipes it with the back of her hand before Toni was pulling her up for a kiss.

 

“That was wild. Thanks, babe.”

 

Cheryl winks at her. “No problem, cutie.” She says sweetly, before turning on her heels and making her way to the stove to finish dinner.

 

Toni was left gaping. She loves her wife so fucking much, god she literally would take a bullet for her right there, right then.

 

* * *

 

 

Cheryl swipes her face with her arm. It’s a little hot for April and she definitely made the wrong choice of clothing. In her defense, these were the only ones left that are cool enough for the weather. All her clothes are back at Thornhill and the rest she put online to sell to help with their finances. It wasn’t fair that Toni gets to be the only one earning for them. She had to help.

 

She had just finished class and was waiting for a taxi when she noticed a man in a dark suit, standing by his car. She hugs her book tighter. She could recognize Felix anywhere. God, her parents are lunatics.

 

You have to be so fucking loose in the mind to even think that sending accomplices to spy on her will suddenly sweep her off her feet.

 

Cheryl crosses the road, her jaw clenched. That’s it. This is where she draws the line.

 

“Felix.” She calls, catching the attention of her father’s favorite capo.

 

“Madame Blossom.” He straightens his suit. “I—“

 

“Ah ah! Save it.” She gestures an imaginary zipper. “I know why you’re here. Take me to them.”

 

“Excuse me, maam?”

 

“My nutsy parents. You work for them, right? And you’re here to keep an eye on me and get information. So I’m gonna go and talk to them myself.”

 

There was a staring competition between them. Before she noticed him squirming under the redhead’s gaze. _Bingo._

 

“Now, you vulture!”

 

He clears his throat before opening the door for her. “Yes, Miss Blossom.”

* * *

 

Toni balances two trays in one go, the pounding in her head is back more than ever. She’s been working for hours and her throat felt dry Pop Tate looks at her and winces. “You okay, Toni?”

 

Labor wasn’t something new to her. She’s been working ever since she was twelve. Her grandpa was someone that got sick a lot and most of her earnings during her teenage years pretty much went to hospital bills and his medication. And then she fell in love with photography and the rest of her labor went towards saving up for her camera. Well, the camera that she _used_ to have.

 

She eyes Sweet Pea from his booth with Veronica. He’s been watching her ever since her shift started. “Of course, Pop.”

 

“You don’t look too good. Maybe you should go home, take the rest of the afternoon off. I can manage here.”

 

Toni took notice of the slight shake of her hands, making the glasses of milkshake lightly tremble. _Toni you weak fool._ “No, I’m good. I promise.” She gives the old man a weak smile before walking cautiously to the tables. She managed putting down the orders, but Sweet Pea and Pop Tate weren’t the only ones who noticed the wobble in her steps as she tries to get back to the counter.

 

 _God, her head is pounding like crazy._ And she feels so hot, too hot which is weird considering it’s only April. She tries to blink it out, _what the fuck is happening?_ Her vision narrows down to Veronica yelling something at Sweet Pea before she feels like there’s a massive earthquake happening.

 

And then there’s a massive pressure on the side of her head, too much to keep her eyes open. Her knees gave in and she flails her arms before everything went to black.

 

“Toni!”

  


* * *

 

  


Cheryl tries to rehearse the things that she’s gonna say to her parents during the ride to Thornhill, her former home. It’s been a good year ever since she’s spoken to them properly, and her nerves are almost getting to her. But a line has to be drawn and it has to be drawn now before her lunatic parents cook up some evil scheme to hurt Toni. She just knows there is something up their sleeve, she is their daughter after all.

 

Felix opened the door for her and she swallows thickly looking up at the massive mansion that she used to call her home. Balling her fists, she walks directly to the one room she knows they will be. She’s sure Felix has already told them she’s coming.

 

_Alright, hbic Cheryl. Let’s go._

 

She held the large two doors of Clifford Blossom’s office, taking a deep breath before pushing it forcefully.

 

“Cheryl.” Penelope Blossom calls, pulling her reading glasses down to eye her daughter properly. “Prodigal daughter returns.” She smirks and Cheryl responded with an eyeroll.

 

“It’s nice to have you back, Pumpkin. What can we do for you?” Clifford asks sweetly, swaying his chair lightly as he leans back to give the same look Penelope is giving her.

 

“Save it, daddy. I’m not here to play Santa with you. I’m here to tell you that sending your… _vulture_ capos to spy on me and Toni stops now.”

 

“Well we wouldn’t have to do it if you return our calls. You still have your phone with you, right? Or you sold it too?” Clifford asks.

 

“How—“ It’s pointless to even argue about it. Of course they know about her selling her things. She fists her own hair, letting out a groan in frustration.

 

“You look skinnier, dear.” Penelope adds dramatically. “Does that wife of yours got a real job yet?”

 

“First of all, I weigh the same as I did before. And second, she does have a job, three to be exact. She’s been providing very well for me.” Cheryl says firmly.

 

“Miss Topaz needs to start taking things seriously. Being an all around...errand girl isn’t a real job.”

 

Cheryl shoots daggers to her mother. It was more of the way she said _errand girl_ that pissed her off like it’s some kind of job to be ashamed for. She’s proud of Toni, who she is and what she does. She’s tired of talking about this. Toni doesn’t deserve this from them.

 

“Nobody asked for your opinion, mother.” Cheryl rolls her eye again. “Toni’s my wife. If you want to be in my life, like what you say in your...cryptic messages, then you need to get over your problem with my marriage.”

 

Penelope stands straighter, taking slow steps towards Cheryl. “Cheryl Marjorie Blossom, roll your eyes at me like that again or I swear to you—“

 

“You’ll what?” The young redhead interrupts, adrenaline seem to be running in her veins. “I’m not scared of you anymore, mother. You hold no power over me anymore.”

 

But before her mother could actually raise a hand on her, Clifford gets on his feet, breaking the two women apart. He places a comforting hand on his wife’s arm. “Now, now darlings.” He leans in to whisper something on Penelope’s ear. “Let me handle this.”

 

Cheryl folds her arms in her chest, her face sporting a proud pout.

 

“I will stop sending Felix to go after you.”

 

Cheryl raises a taunting eyebrow at the man.

 

“If...you come home.”

 

“Are you crazy? No!” Cheryl exclaims, her face contorting into a look of disgust. “I’m not leaving my wife!”

 

“I’m not saying Miss Topaz isn’t to come with you, dear.” Clifford says, trying to stay as calm as possible. “Look, pumpkin we just want you want you to come home.” He clears his throat, and honestly, he looks like he’s going to shit his pants just trying to get the words out. “We’re...we’re sorry for judging your marriage and Miss Topaz.”

 

Cheryl scoffs at her father’s words. “First of all, daddy, don’t call me pumpkin. I’m not five. I’m twenty two years old! Capable of making my own decisions! She didn’t force me or talk me or deceive me into getting married like _you_ claim. When she proposed, I said yes. And we got married. It was a mutual decision.”

 

Clifford nods hesitantly.

 

“And second, you can start being sorry by calling my wife by her own name. You’ve been calling her Miss Topaz for what? Five years now? We’ve been together for that long, daddy! You need to respect her!”

 

“I know, I know.” Clifford steps closer to her, his eyes never meeting hers as he places both of his hands on Cheryl’s arm. “I’m sorry, pum—Cheryl. _Toni_ can come with you. Just come home.”

 

Cheryl lets out a puff, directing her attention to her mother who is avoiding her gaze. “Why? Why now?”

 

Clifford takes a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut impatiently. But before actual words were spoken, Cheryl’s phone rang in her pockets. Raising an eyebrow at them, she holds a finger.

 

_It’s Veronica._

 

“V.”

 

_“Cher, you need to come here. Toni, something’s happened.”_

 

The second she heard the words ‘Toni’ ‘something’ and ‘happened’ altogether, her figurative heart stops beating in her chest. _No._

 

“What?” Was all she could say.

 

And then she hears someone yelling at Veronica, who sounded a lot like her wife. _“Veronica, I’m fine! Cheryl’s at the university. There’s no need to bother her!”_ She hears distinctly.

 

_“We’re at Riverdale General. She collapsed at work earlier. The doctors said she’s very dehydrated. She’s conscious now and being a real pain in the ass. So please get here and collect your wife.”_

 

“I’m on my way.” She says immediately, putting her phone down.

 

“Sweetheart, what happened?” Clifford asks, reaching for her arm again.

 

“Toni...she’s...she’s at the hospital. I—I need to go.” The redhead paces.

 

“Okay, okay relax. We’ll all go.”

 

“Clifford.” Penelope starts.

 

“We’re all going, Penelope.” The patriarch said firmly, silencing the protesting woman. He rounds his table, retrieving a key from the drawer. “Let’s go.”

 

“Wait daddy.” Cheryl halts.

 

“We can talk about this more later. Right now, you need to get to Mi—Toni. Your wife.”

 

Cheryl nods, letting Clifford Blossom lead her to the car.

 

* * *

 

 

Toni groans for the fifth time in the past hour. “Listen, I’m okay. I was just feeling a little bit under the weather earlier. And you said so yourself, I was just dehydrated. I had my water. I’m fine now. So can you please, please tell the doctor to get my discharge papers.” She tells the nurse fixing her IV.

 

Veronica rubs her face with her hand, leaning to snuggle closer to Sweet Pea while releasing a sigh. She loves Toni, and loves how Sweet Pea adores the tiny brunette but her head is starting to ache at her friend’s hard-headedness. She gave up on telling Toni to shut up half an hour ago and they’ve been in the ER for an hour now.

 

“Fuck.” The brunette mutters under her breath.

 

Then the curtains open at once revealing a very worried Cheryl Blossom. “Toni!” _Oh thank god._

 

“Veronica…” She says through gritted teeth.

 

“Your wife needed to know.” Veronica shrugs.

 

“But I’m fine! I swear, babe. They’re overreacting.” Toni stops mid sentence as she notices the two people hovering behind her wife. “Cher, what are they doing here?”

 

The redhead reaches for Toni’s face. “What happened?” She asks, disregarding her wife’s question as she looks at the gauze on Toni’s forehead.

 

“I just felt a little dizzy earlier. And I hit my head on a table.” She answers. “What are your parents doing here?” She tries again.

 

“I paid them a little visit regarding the Felix situation. Toni! What were you doing?” The redhead presses their foreheads together lightly. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

 

Toni winces when Cheryl pressed a little tighter.

 

“I’m sorry, baby.” The redhead comments, eyeing the bandage on her forehead. “Did they have to stitch you up?”

 

“I—I honestly don’t know.” Toni’s gaze fell on Clifford and Penelope Blossom who were standing at one corner whispering with each other. She narrows her eyes at them. “Cher, you need to get my discharge papers so we can go.”

 

“No, Tiny. Shut up.” Sweet Pea stood up, walking closer to the gurney. “They’re still monitoring her if she has a concussion.”

 

“Sweets, I can’t stay here!” Toni exclaims. “We can’t afford this.”

 

Cheryl’s heart clenches in her chest. Suddenly she wants to wrap her arms around her wife, envelope her in her embrace. Sweet, selfless Toni wants to go home even after suffering a head injury because she thinks that they can’t afford it.

 

Sweet Pea runs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “We’re gonna take of it, Toni. Don’t worry about it.”

 

“I can’t let you do that, Sweets! You’ve done so much for us already. I swear to you, I’m fine.” Toni makes an effort to stand up but Cheryl pushes her down gently.

 

“No. You’re not going anywhere. Jesus Toni. Stop arguing with me on this for once and listen to me.” Cheryl snaps. “The doctors want to monitor you and so we’re staying. We’re moving you into a room.”

 

“Babe, _how_ are we gonna pay for that?” The brunette’s voice raising a little as tears started to pool in her eyes. _Goddammit, she hates this._ “I’m so sorry, Cher.”

 

Cheryl widens her eyes, moving to sit on the bed with her wife. “Hey, hey. It’s not your fault. Toni, look at me.” The redhead raises her chin. “It’s not your fault.”

 

“I just—we’re barely making ends meet.” Toni snuggles on her shoulders.

 

Veronica made a move to stand up and walk closer to her friends. “You guys, I’m telling you it’s fine. You can pay us back soon.”

 

Just then Clifford Blossom stands in their middle, clearing his throat. He lands a hand on the tall serpent’s shoulders and _god,_ Toni was grateful he her friend was in a fairly good mood because if not, she would worry about Clifford’s life. “I’d appreciate it if Miss Lodge and Officer Peabody would let _us_ take care of our _daughter-in-law_ ’s bill.”

 

Toni blinks in surprise. _What the fuck?_

 

“Mr. Blossom, it really is no big deal.” The Latina comments.

 

“Which is exactly why I expect you to understand.”

 

Cheryl stares between her parents. “What’s the catch?”

 

Clifford gives them a tight-lipped smile. “There’s no catch, honey.” She could see Penelope shaking her head. “Except, maybe one favor.”

 

“What?”

 

“Live with us at Thornhill. You and your wife.”

 

 _What. The. Actual. Fuck._ Suddenly, Toni wants to pass out again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do we trust the blossoms yettttt do weee?


	4. you’re an artist and your heart is your masterpiece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> toni finds it hard to sleep. jason and cheryl talk. cheryl finds out about the camera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi issa long one. And i already apologize for the angst in this chapter. 
> 
>  
> 
> enjoy....i think?

_“Come on, baby. One more.” Toni leveled the camera in front of her eyes, her legs bouncing lightly on the mattress as she towered over her giggling wife in nothing but underwear. “Please. One more and I’ll stop.”_

 

_More giggles echoed around the small apartment as the redhead tried to conceal her face under the pillows. She fake groaned, tugging the blanket to cover up her exposed chest. Toni has taken a lot already, and though some may think Cheryl would love being photographed as much as her wife takes her photos, she did know when it’s too much. Cheryl laid on her stomach, revealing the small branch of cherry blossom tattoo that she has on her right shoulder blade._

 

_A warm feeling spreads over Toni’s chest. “Hold that pose.” She remembers the day her wife got it, just two weeks after their wedding, after Cheryl has claimed every inch of her own tattooed skin. She remembers the way Cheryl held her hand as the needles went in, the redhead’s breath sending shivers down her spine as she says, “my mother’s going to kill me” followed by a high-pitched giggle. And suddenly, Toni felt a need to lay her lips on the pink and brown ink._

 

_Toni doesn’t like her wife’s parents. Not even by a bit. After four years of being together, she’d figure they will grow on her, somehow, someday in some way. But, the day never came. Instead, she found hatred growing inside of her as more years pass by._

 

_She hated how they treated Cheryl. She hated how they favored Jason right in front of Cheryl’s eyes like it’s supposed to be natural, like it’s supposed to be like that. It had created an insecure monster inside her wife, something that Toni knows still haunts the redhead from time to time. But god, is she thankful for them for bringing her into this world, and more essentially, she is grateful for their fucking genes that made her wife hot as fuck, the most beautiful art her eyes could land on. She doesn’t believe in it but she prays everyday to whoever, whatever’s up there thanking them for allowing her to be the one to touch her, love her and be in her presence._

 

_“Are you done?” Cheryl teased, licking her bottom lip as her eyes show nothing but admiration for the view above her. It is a view that never fails to make her stomach flutter._

 

_Toni hummed, looking at the photo that she just took. It was perfect. If there’s a word that surpasses that then that’s it. She raised an eyebrow at Cheryl, who was hiking herself up on the wooden material of the headboard, an arm discreetly wrapped over her chest to keep its cover._

 

_“What happens if I’m not?” Toni responded, body still bouncing on the mattress._

 

_All in one go, Cheryl yanked her knees to the direction of her body, letting Toni fall completely on her lap as a loud screech escaped the brunette’s mouth. “Enough.” Cheryl murmured, plucking her wife’s prized possession and placing it cautiously aside._

 

_Toni removed the duvet from her wife’s chest, her eyes falling on the exposed skin before she rested her arms on Cheryl’s shoulder. “My god, you are flawless…”_

 

_And suddenly physics and its law of attraction were nothing compared to them because it is impossible to have Cheryl that close and not kiss her. Like two magnets in a vessel…_

 

Toni smiles at the memory she couldn’t help but recall as she checks the time on her phone. Her lockscreen is _that_ picture. She reads 2:45am on the clock.

 

She glances over her sleeping wife momentarily, a sense of relief washing over her after seeing Cheryl still dozing off. She’s snoring a little, which Toni finds cute in its own way. It’s odd but the brunette likes the reminder that she’s still here, despite everything. She’s here. She chose her.

 

It also breaks up the screaming inside her head, brings her back to now, where everything she needs is sleeping right beside her.

 

It’s almost 3am and Toni hasn’t slept at all. She’s been staring at the ceiling for so long she could tell that the ceiling fan does exactly thirty five rotations per minute. Despite the exhaustion in her limbs and the feeling of being ready to drop off any moment, she couldn’t seem to completely drop off.

 

Every time she tries to close her eyes, the anxiety of not living under this same roof yanks her awake. This tiny apartment has been their refuge for the past year, their own little world. It’ll be weird not sleeping in this bed.

 

Toni sits on the mattress, her eyes well adjusted enough in the dark that she could clearly see the pair of luggage sitting at the corner of their bedroom. She doesn’t know exactly why she’d said yes, all she knows is she wants to keep Cheryl happy and safe and healthy.

 

That has been her priority ever since she had said the two words “I” and “do”.

 

The Blossoms had offered to pay for her medical bill, as well as their latest rent in full. Every time she thinks that they’re using this as a leverage on them, she wants to stab her eye. But fuck, they really needed the help. Especially since Cheryl didn’t allow her to go work after the hospital sent her home and all the remaining cash from her camera went to expensive drugs to help her recover.

 

They move out in two days, and Cheryl assures her of three things: one, it’s not permanent. Second, they will be staying at Thornhill indefinitely until Mr. Blossom stays on his happy, welcoming mood. And lastly, she will not let Penelope Blossom talk trash about her.

 

Frankly, she doesn’t give a single fuck what her wife’s sharp tongued, demonic mother say about her. She’s much more concerned about Cheryl and how she’d treat her once she’s living under their roof again. It’s safe to say she will be watching Satan’s fascist mistress like a hawk.

 

She puts on underwear and Cheryl’s old university shirt and slowly tiptoes to the kitchen. She fills herself a glass of cold water and downs it in one go. She’ll surely miss their crappy apartment, with all its squeaky floors and doors that won’t lock. And _her wall_. Or more accurately, Cheryl’s wall of photographs taken by her.

 

Toni gulps at the second glass looking at the collage her wife has carefully put up for her. Part of the reason why she loves photography so much is because her wife, her muse is the most perfect form of art that she’d ever had to photograph. Flaming red hair contrasting pale skin is just Toni’s kind of aesthetic.

 

But it’s lost cause.

 

She’s been sending out applications for years now. And her job at the studio isn’t really making her happy. Not to mention it pays below minimum.

 

Cheryl always tells her that her time is coming and that she shouldn’t give up on her dreams just because nothing is happening now. Toni just smiles at her encouraging wife. But in reality, she’s tired of waiting. A part of her soul dies every time she’d get rejected or waitlisted and they don’t have the means to start a business.

 

So maybe photography isn’t for her.

 

Toni exhales deeply, turning around to put the glass on the sink. Slowly, she makes her way back to their bedroom.

 

A small smile crept up her lips when she found Cheryl still sleeping. Sometimes, she envies her wife’s ability to sleep through absolutely everything.

 

She slowly lifts the duvet and slides into her side. She wiggles carefully, moving closer to Cheryl as she snakes an arm around her middle. The redhead shifted, unconsciously welcoming Toni in her arms. “Mmm…babe?”

 

“Shh..Get back to sleep. Sorry I woke you.”

 

Cheryl shifts even more, snuggling herself into Toni’s neck instead and then mutters something that sounded like “Why are you up?”

 

“It’s...nothing. I can’t sleep.”

 

That seems to bring the redhead into consciousness because she lifts her head up from Toni’s neck to eye the brunette in the dark. She traces the band aid on Toni’s forehead with her thumb. “Is it hurting? Do you need to take a pill?”

 

Toni gently shakes her head. “It’s fine. Go back to sleep.” Then she proceeds on rubbing circles into Cheryl’s bare back. But then she groans audibly when she felt the redhead pull away and suddenly a light was switched on.

 

“What’s going on, TT?” Cheryl can read her like an open book. And even in the dark she could feel something was wrong. Toni doesn’t even have to say something for Cheryl to know. It’s like sixth sense. She’s developed a _Toni sense._ “Babe?” The redhead calls to catch her attention. “Let me in?”

 

Toni nods but her eyes avoided her wife’s. Cheryl waited patiently. She knows Toni is someone who prefers putting up an act for as long as she can rather than open up. Cheryl had been the only one that gets to crack her walls down. It hasn’t been easy. But she gets it done.

 

The brunette tucks a piece of red hair behind her face. “I will miss our crappy apartment.” She chuckles.

 

It took a while but Cheryl smiled down at her. “We’ll still have our crappy apartment. It’s just temporary.”

 

“I know…”

 

“Babe, if you’re not comfortable with it, we will stay here. I can call daddy and tell him we’ve changed our mind.” Cheryl says softly.

 

If she really has the means to, she will stay here. But god, if they keep up with this, she’s scared they’re gonna end up in the streets and Toni will never ever forgive herself if that happens. She can survive that, and she has...in the past. But she’s not sure Cheryl will. So she screws her eyes shut.

 

“No…” She gives her a small smile. “Your parents have been kind enough to help us. The least we can do is be there when they need us, _you.”_

 

And though she hides it, Toni sees the hope in her wife’s eyes, that her parents could actually be changing for the better. She’s not about to let Cheryl miss out on that.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

Cheryl cuddles into her again. “You know I love you, right? And whatever they say doesn’t matter.” The redhead traced patterns on the exposed skin of Toni’s tummy. “I chose you. I will keep on choosing you. A hundred times over and over.”

 

Toni tilts her chin before planting a soft kiss on her wife’s lips. Cheryl had sacrificed so much to be with her. “I love you too.”

 

“I’m not gonna let them hurt you, Toni. I promise.” Cheryl smoothes her cheek with the pad of her thumb.

 

There’s something about that, something about Cheryl wanting to protect her that makes Toni’s heart seize in her chest. For the longest time, she had served as the protector. And now...now someone wants to protect her.

 

Cheryl smiles at her. “Now, are you sure you’ve packed everything that you need?”

 

She doesn’t know why they have to pack two days early for it but she guesses it’s safer to just let her wife be with her obsessive compulsive nature. But even so, Toni rolls her eyes. “I don’t really have a lot.” She runs her hands along the redhead’s waist. “Plus, I got everything that I need _right here.”_

 

“I don’t know why I married such a sweet talker.” She chuckles. “I haven’t seen your camera in a while. Did you pack it yet, baby?”

 

Toni tries not to stiffen so much. Her facial reaction remains soft but the sweating in her palms would give her away. “S-Sweet Pea has my camera.”

 

Oh how she wishes her wife would just go back to sleep. God, _say something. Distract her._ Cheryl’s Toni sense were tingling and even Toni herself could feel it.

 

“Huh, you lend Sweet Pea your camera?” The redhead asks. “Babe, you don’t even let me touch your camera.”

 

“A-Are you offended?” _Nailed it._

 

“Yeah, actually.” Cheryl pouts. “What does he need it for?”

 

“U-Uhm...Ronnie...they went on a roadtrip to Sugar Lake just a few days ago. I let him borrow it and I haven’t had the chance to get it back. I don’t have time to use it anyway.”

 

Cheryl thinks for a second. “Okay, just ask him to bring it tonight to Fangs and Kevin’s.” She sighs happily, squeezing her face into Toni’s neck.

 

“W-What?” _The actual fuck._

 

“It’s their turn to host dinner, remember? Don’t tell me you forgot.”

 

“I—yeah. I totally forgot.” The brunette chuckles nervously.

 

Cheryl reached for the lights before going back to cuddle Toni. “Night, babe. I have 8 am class tomorrow.” She said yawning. “Love you…”

 

“I love...I love you too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Cheryl woke up an hour before her supposed wake up time. After finding out Toni had troubles sleeping last night, her focus remained on trying to get her wife to sleep. She’d been waking up every hour to check on the brunette, rubbing soothing circles on her skin every time she gets.

 

She kisses her wife’s temple, lightly chuckling over her parted lips before pulling a strand stuck in between them away from her face.

 

Cheryl stretches before turning the alarm off on their bedside table before it wakes her sleeping wife. She figures she’s gonna let her sleep in for a few more hours whereas she herself still has an hour to kill. Pulling a shirt over her head, she gets up making her way out to swipe her laptop on her desk.

 

She really wishes she has Toni’s camera to check if she has taken new photos. She skims through the folder that she had named under “tt”. Unbeknownst to the brunette, she had been putting a large portfolio of her talented wife’s works. One day, the world will know her wife as one of the most talented photographers and Cheryl just _can’t_ wait to be by her side when that happens.

 

It’s going to pay off. One day.

 

She just knows it will. All of Toni’s hardwork and talent is gonna get recognized and world will not be ready to witness her excellence. Toni deserves everything she wants.

 

Cheryl starts breakfast with the remaining pieces of bacon and eggs in their groceries. Her cooking skills will have to get better and she knows it’s not the best but she loves the way Toni hypes her up, pancakes with burnt sides and all.

 

She was tossing the omelet when she felt a warm pair of arms around her middle. She chuckles softly. “You should sleep in…”

 

“No…” Toni whines against her neck. “Come back to bed.”

 

“Eat first.”

 

“But I already ate…” She bites the redhead’s shoulder playfully, her hands traveling south, cupping her wife through the fabric of her underwear. “...twice.”

 

Cheryl literally swatted Toni’s hand away from her center, she wasn’t expecting such an explicit sexual innuendo right now. But then again, she’s married to Toni and sexual innuendos just casually fly away from her wife’s mouth about as often as exhaling. “That was last night.” She deadpans.

 

“You know, babe, it’s been almost a year since we got married. I don’t know why dudes say their sex life is over after they got married. Ours has never been healthier.” Toni comments.

 

“Well I’m glad you’re not bored of our sex life yet.” Cheryl answers, turning the stove off before Toni rotates her hips one hundred eighty degrees.

 

The brunette rakes a hand through her hair, before settling on her jaw. She leans in, her lips hovering just a few millimeters away from Cheryl’s. “Me? Bored of our sex life? Please.” She captures the redhead’s bottom lip. _“Never.”_

 

Cheryl tries to pull away before they leave breakfast forgotten again, like the other day. “You…” she trails off, tracing her wife’s jaw with her pointer. “...have the sexual restraint of a fourteen year old. “

 

“Can you blame me?” Toni dives into Cheryl’s neck again, sucking on her pulse point.

 

“We can’t.” Cheryl breathes out.

 

“Why?”

 

“I have to get ready in about thirty minutes…”

 

But Toni was tugging the string of the redhead’s underwear aside for two fingers to meet the wetness.

 

“I’ll make it quick.”

 

* * *

 

  


Cheryl have managed to get herself away from Toni that morning, arriving in class only five minutes late. She had taken up business class because the initial plan was, she’s going to help Jason run Blossom Maple Farms. Her parents have put her up for it. But then things changed after she’d decided to get married at twenty two. Her parents have expressed their disagreement on the matter and she was more than willing to move out of that haunted mansion.

 

That’s why when her father had said that they want her living with them again, she was more than shocked. And not just that, they wanted Toni as well.

 

Her parents have never liked Toni, especially her fiendish mother. They’d always looked down on her, called her foul names, but Toni’s desire to pursue Cheryl never faltered throughout the years. Something that she’s still in awe of.

 

Cheryl’s phone buzzes in her pocket just as she was collecting her books, ready to head home. She grins smugly, thinking it was another nude pic her wife has sent her. She’s received a total number of _three_ today. Having Toni stay at home gave the brunette much time to tease her.

 

 _Oh wait, it’s Jason._ Cheryl had managed to tone her excitement down a notch.

 

**JJ [ 4:33pm ]: i’m picking you up today. i’m right outside.**

 

Cheryl raised her eyebrows. To say that she had expected this is an understatement. This was such a Jason move. She already knows what he’s going to say.

 

She sees him outside, standing by his impala, a cigarette stuck between his teeth. He gives her a tilt of the head plus his charming smile.

 

“Do I even need to ask?”

 

Jason looks at her. He shakes his head in the most endearing kind of way. “You’re making a mistake.” He says.

 

Cheryl nods. “Wanna try and convince me with a milkshake at Pop’s? It might up your chances.”

 

She hears a chuckle from her twin. Then, he opens the door of the convertible for the younger redhead after tucking the cancer stick behind his ear.

 

They drove silently to Pop’s. Jason had put on tolerable music this time instead of the pop punk that he usually listens to. She can feel him occasionally glancing in her direction, trying to unnerve her. But the redhead just flips her hair, the warm breeze hitting her scalp is actually relaxing her.

 

As soon as the twins step foot inside the local diner, all eyes went to them. And they used to live for it, back when their lives rotated around the values their family have set for them. They were a pair of bullies, benevolent autocrats who ruled highschool with fear and power. That is, until they’ve both met their ends: Polly and Toni.

 

“What does Toni have to say about this?” He asks, a bit mockery could be heard in his voice.

 

“She’s in.” Cheryl shrugs, slurping on her strawberry milkshake.

 

Jason raised his eyebrows as in a surprised expression. “What?”

 

The younger redhead shrugs again, fiddling with the straw of her milkshake. “I told her it’s fine. I assured her that we can back out. But she’s actually the one set on it. I don’t know, JJ. Mom and Dad seemed...genuine. Well, Daddy at least. Your mother on the other hand…”

 

“I just wouldn’t trust them that easily.” He says effortlessly.

 

And Cheryl looks at him like he’s grown a second head. “Then why do _you?”_

 

“What do you mean?” He asks, fiddling with the cigarette stick he had earlier.

 

“I mean, you let them see your kids. You manage Blossom Maple Farms. You have dinner with them every once in a while…I can go on all night, dear brother.”

 

Jason takes a deep breath. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. Honestly, Cheryl has been waiting for the chance to ask her brother. Why does _he_ despite everything that happened with their whole pregnancy fiasco, still trusts their parents like...like they didn’t threaten disowning him and taking away his inheritance? Cheryl has the slightest idea, but she wants to hear it from Jason. Maybe, just maybe it’s the sign she’s been waiting for not to push through going back.

 

He clears his throat. “My relationship with Mom and Dad...has been...is complicated.”

 

Cheryl takes another sip of her milkshake, urging Jason to go on.

 

“It revolves strictly around...task interaction. Put it this way, I need them to keep a roof over my family’s head and they need me to look good taking over the business. It’s like an unspoken thing between us. We might act like we really care about each other, but in reality we just...want people to think we care about each other.”

 

“JJ?”

 

Jason hums.

 

“Did you ever think they really cared about us? Or it’s all just...I don’t know.”

 

She hears him clear his throat. “At some point, yeah. I don’t really know either. I just...I want you to be careful. It isn’t like I don’t want you to be happy. Look, I’m glad they’ve reached out to you. Maybe...maybe they’ve changed. But just be careful, Cher.” He says, reaching out for his sister’s hand. “More importantly, keep an eye on your wife. I’m not gonna be there twenty four seven like I used to.”

 

Cheryl nods. She completely understood what he meant. “I’m not going to let anything happen to Toni. Thank you, JJ.”

 

“I’m proud of who you’ve become. Don’t lose that in there.”

  


* * *

 

  


After a quick stop by the liquor shop, where Toni was surprisingly on her best behavior, they’d made it to Fangs and Kevin’s new apartment only fifteen minutes late. Cheryl couldn’t focus on anything other than her conversation with her brother, it was definitely something to worry about.

 

Jason’s last words echoed in her head. _I’m proud of who you’ve become. Don’t lose that in there._

 

“Baby?” Toni’s voice snatched her back to reality. “You okay?” She asked, squeezing the redhead’s arm as they both waited for someone to answer

 

“Yeah.” She gives Toni her best smile, before reaching out for her left hand to play with her wedding band.

 

“If it’s about last night, I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m thrilled to live in the house you grew up in.” And that is true. She is a little excited to actually see Thornhill.

 

Aside from the crazy haunted stories that she heard from Sweet Pea and Fangs, the mansion seemed...endurable to live in, judging from the rare occasions that she’d visited, which was exactly _one_ holiday from when Cheryl was a college sophomore and they’d spent Thanksgiving there. Well, if she doesn’t include the countless times she’d snuck inside Cheryl’s bedroom in high school then yeah, she’s only ever visited once.

 

“You look beautiful tonight, my love.” She lets Cheryl peck her lips before the door opened to reveal Kevin Keller with his bright smile and welcoming gaze.

 

“Cheryl and Toni, I almost thought you guys would break your one hour late record. Come in.”

 

“Hey, Kev.” The redhead greets.

 

“This is for you.” Toni hands the boy the bottle of wine that they had bought earlier.

 

“You didn’t have to.”

 

And although that was the automatic response, it still stabs Toni a little bit in the chest because it will always be like that for her. “Don’t worry, it’s just cheap wine.” She reminds herself that Kevin doesn’t mean it like that. “Not the fancy kind…”

 

Cheryl squeezes her hand comfortingly, before leading them inside. Making their way to the apartment, she saw the living room already filled with Sweet Pea, Fangs and Veronica. The two bedroom apartment looked great and Kevin did a really good job with the interior. It looks like a perfect combination of the two.

 

“And there they are! Thank fuck! I’m starving.” Sweet Pea exclaims gently pushing one latina away from his lap, who only glares at him. “I-I mean, thank _you_ Cheryl and Toni for arriving now so we can already start with dinner. Happy, babe?”

 

Toni couldn’t help the snort. She still thinks this no swearing rule Veronica has on Sweet Pea is stupid because a) he’s Sweet Pea and b) Sweet Pea is a grown ass man. But hey, if her and Cheryl can have their own secret kinks then why can’t Ronnie and Sweets?

 

They all proceeded to the dining area, where Kevin has prepared a feast for them. The six of the chatted animatedly about absolutely everything under the sun and Cheryl was relieved that for once Toni was having fun with discussing with their friends. She remained an audience to their conversation, feeling contented that she only gets to hold Toni’s hand. She’s not really up for socializing at the moment.

 

They were currently talking about taking a group vacation this coming summer when she suddenly felt the urge to jump in.

 

“That reminds me. Sweet Vee, how was your trip to Sugar Lake?” She says casually chewing on her chicken.

 

Then, Sweet Pea gives her a look that she hasn’t seen in a long time. Last time he looked like this, he was holding on to Toni’s engagement ring for her. Something’s wrong. “Su…” he trails off, looking questionably at Toni. Ronnie stayed silent, sipping her glass of wine. “Our trip? It was good, yeah.”

 

 _“Yeah?”_ Cheryl looks at her wife pointedly. “Did Toni ask you to bring her camera back today?”

 

“Yeah. Actually, shit I was the one who forgot.” Sweet Pea says, wincing at the curse word that fell from his mouth, not even bothering to look at his girlfriend. He began fidgeting with his fork as he shoots Fangs a look that screams _HELP!_

 

Toni sighs. _Shit’s about to get down._

 

“Can you bring it to the apartment tomorrow?” The redhead asks, amused. “Or we can just drop by yours if it’s too much trouble, _right babe?_ ”

 

Toni sighs deeper.

 

“Um, I will be busy all day tomorrow.”

 

“Sweet Pea, you’re a shit liar.” Cheryl comments casually. “What? Have you lost it or something?”

 

The tall serpent looks like he’s actually going to shit his pants and his girlfriend just sits there, amused. “Yeah, I’m sorry Toni. I will just replace it. I promise.”

 

“Still lying.”

 

Toni rubs her face a little aggressively. “Give it up, Sweet Pea.”

 

He shakes his head. “No. It’s okay. I will buy you a new one, Tiny.”

 

“You don’t have to lie for me, Sweet Pea.” Toni says, placing a hand over her wife’s leg hoping it would relax the redhead. “Cher, I kind of...had Sweet Pea sell my camera.”

 

“I’m sorry, you what?!”

 

“Hey.” The tall boy cuts in. “If it helps you guys feel any better, I actually still have it. I lied about selling it and just gave Toni five hundred bucks.”

 

“You what?!” It was Toni’s turn to raise her voice.

 

She looks around the table, all their friends’ gaze fixed on their plate. The silence was deafening, and Toni could feel herself sinking in her seat.

 

“Yes Fangs, I would love another beer!”

 

“Good idea.”

 

“I’ll...help with the beer...carrying.” Kevin says. “Veronica, I could use the extra set of hands too…”

 

“Oh yeah, sure.”

 

And just like that the two were alone. Toni looks at her wife, a tough expression on her face. The redheads pokes her tongue on her bottom lip, rubbing her temple with her right hand, a clear look of disappointment evident on her face.

 

“Cher, you can’t actually be upset with me right now. We needed the money for the rent.” She explains, as softly as she can.

 

“I could have sold my text books, Toni.”

 

“Which would have been stupid. You need your textbooks.”

 

The redhead bites the insides of her cheek. “You could have ran the idea by me first, before you so recklessly pawned your camera.” Cheryl shot back. “You need your camera.”

 

“No Cher, what I need is to have enough to keep a roof over your head.”

 

Cheryl stands up, and Toni tries not to grimace at the loud sound of the wood. “Let’s go home.”

 

“Cheryl.”

 

Toni exhales loudly, standing up and following Cheryl to meet their friends who she caught unsubtly eavesdropping in the kitchen. “Thank you for having us, Fangs. And Kev, dinner _was_ wonderful.” She says as she hugs each of them goodbye.

 

Toni stays behind Cheryl, before the redhead had insensibly brush past her.

 

“In the dog house?” Fangs asks her.

 

Toni bit her lip before nodding. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”

 

“I’m sorry, Tiny.” Sweet Pea comments.

 

“Not your fault, Pea.”

 

“Bye, Toni. Drive safe.” Veronica adds, half hugging Toni.

 

Toni waved goodbye one last time before walking out of the apartment. She found Cheryl already standing beside her bike, fastening the red helmet over her chin. The brunette picks her own helmet up. “I was doing what I thought was best.”

 

“How come whatever you think is best always ends up being you sacrificing your things...Toni, your _fucking_ health?” Cheryl shots back.

 

“What?!” Toni exclaims, clearly frustrated.

 

“You’re always working yourself to the ground. You never let me help. You treat me like I’m some kind of fragile thing that will break the second I’m put into labor.”

 

“Cheryl…” Toni breathes out, a low growl escaping her lips. “I’m _doing_ the best I can to take care of you. Can’t you just...appreciate that?”

 

The redhead lets out a bitter chuckle. “Don’t give me this bull, Toni.” Then, her face softens as tears threatened fall from her eyes. What Toni said, it...kind of hurt. “I do appreciate it. I just want you to let me take care of you for a change.”

 

Toni’s shoulders slump, and her stance falters as she sees the glint of tears on her wife’s chocolate brown orbs. “You do take care of me, baby. In ways you don’t even know.”

 

Cheryl sighs, rubbing her eyes. “We’ll talk about this more at home.”

 

And the brunette closes her eyes for a second, before wearing her own helmet and mounting her bike. She felt Cheryl’s arms on her middle and for the rest of their drive home, she pretends everything between them is okay. It actually helped her calm down.

 

Once the redhead had successfully unlocked their apartment door, not without force of course, she made a beeline towards their bedroom. Toni slowly trailed behind her.

 

The brunette sat on the bed as she watches Cheryl strip her clothing quite aggressively one by one. And for a moment, _the_ light bulb has popped above her head.

 

 _“Don’t even think about it.”_ Cheryl snarled, putting on a pair of silk blue pajama shorts.

 

Toni only blinks. _This redhead really has a Toni sense._

 

“Cher.”

 

“Do you know how terrible it makes me feel when I see you stressed over money or when you...when you apologize for marrying me?” Cheryl walks in front of her, arms crossed over her chest, huge pout on her lips. “It makes me feel like I’m making you unhappy.”

 

“Well that’s not true, because you make me the happiest.” Toni quickly answers. “Cheryl, I love you and you just being...Mrs. Cheryl Topaz make me the happiest and luckiest person on earth. I’m just doing the best I can to prove that I can take care of you.”

 

Cheryl shakes her head, walking around to her side of the bed. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, Toni.” She mutters while fixing the pillows and the sheets to get ready for bed. “Not even to my parents. I don’t give a shit what they think. I’ve already chosen you and I’m not going to hesitate on doing that again.”

 

Toni stares at her wife.

 

“If anything, I should be the one proving to everyone that I deserve you…”

 

She doesn’t miss the crack in her wife’s voice. And Toni removes her boots, as well as her jeans and her top. She lifts the duvet and scooted closer to the redhead to spoon her.

 

“You deserve me, Cher. You more than deserve me.” She whispers in her hair. “God, I hate fighting…” Toni then plants featherlight kisses on her wife’s shoulder.

 

“Me too.” She hears her whisper. “On both.” Cheryl caresses Toni’s arm on her waist. “Please don’t sell any more of your things. I’ll see if I can get more money at my safe at Thornhill to buy your camera back from Sweet Pea.”

 

“Cher—“

 

“Please.” She pleads. “Just let me do this one thing for you.”

 

Toni bites her lip, pausing to think about it first. “Okay…”

 

“Thank you, TT.”

 

Toni holds her closer. Tomorrow their new lives begin.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really had fun writing this chapter. what did you think? next chapter, they move to thornhill.


	5. yes, i’d love it if we made it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooo! i’m backkk. sorry posted this a little late. i just got so busy the past few days. 
> 
> i might have exaggerated the Blossoms’ wealth by a teensy bit. 
> 
> anywhosers, enjoy this short chapter of cute, happy choni while you can. ;)

Toni reads the words inscribed on the estate’s front gates,  _ Radices Currere Abyssi,  _ which she recalls Cheryl translating as “Roots Run Deep”, the Blossom family motto. The mansion was built around 1941, which was also on the front gates in bold roman numerals. The first time the brunette saw where her girlfriend lived, she had joked about her family having enough money to make her disappear, no questions asked, which was still lowkey true. 

 

Jason offered to drive them, well Cheryl and the luggage, while Toni convoys in her motorcycle. 

 

Cheryl honestly thought her wife would be more jittery about moving to Thornhill, but to her surprise Toni was more than chill, at least that’s what it seemed. She’s also managed to get her camera back from Sweet Pea with Jason’s help, the redhead promising her twin that she’ll pay him back once she gets a hold of her vault back home. 

 

The voice in the intercom answers. 

 

“Joseph.” Jason greets. 

 

“Mr. and Ms. Blossom, welcome back.” 

 

Jason huffed impatiently. “Joe, just open the gates.” 

 

Toni stops herself from gaping as they drove down the small driveway from the gates to the two large wooden doors where Clifford and Penelope Blossom are supposed to be waiting for them. It seems like they made a few renovations with the area over the years because it was a little bit different than what Toni remembers. 

 

She stops a few feet away behind Jason’s impala, unmounting her bike as she watches maybe a good dozen helpers assist Cheryl and Jason with the luggage as well as getting them out of the red convertible. And suddenly she feels like she’s in an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker as she tries to tame the bubbling acid in her stomach, the result of her anxiety. She’s been trying so hard to look  _ good for the part _ , for Cheryl’s sake. And mostly she thinks she’s nailing it. It would just be much more convenient for them to live here and part of that reason is because it’s a lot closer to Highsmith. 

 

Joseph, which Toni guesses is their head butler, had been the one to open Cheryl’s door, taking her hand as the redhead plants both her red heeled feet onto the ground. 

 

“Miss Blossom, it’s good to have you back.” The middle aged man says, and Toni could only bet that he was itching, just aching to kiss her wife’s hand. 

 

“It’s good to see you again, Joseph. But it’s Mrs. Topaz now.” Cheryl smiles sweetly at the man. “Toni and I got married.”

 

The butler gives her a tight lipped smile as well as a curt nod. “I see.” Then he turns his attention to Toni. “Toni Topaz, I have to say I missed seeing your lovely face in the surveillance cameras.”

 

Walking closer to Cheryl, Toni moved to wrap an arm around the redhead’s waist. “You don’t have to anymore, Joey. You get to see this face all day, every day.” She shoots him a wink. 

 

“Right.” He bows down briefly. “Mr. and Mrs. Blossom awaits. If you would follow me please.”

 

Cheryl gives her hand a gentle squeeze, before entwining their fingers. She sees Jason already talking to them at the vestibule and she fights the urge to roll her eyes at her mother-in-law’s dramatics over the redheaded boy. 

 

“My boy.” She runs a hand through Jason’s red hair. “You look like you lost weight.” She says, before turning to Cheryl. “You both do!”

 

The boy immediately finds his mother’s hands on his hair, tugging it gently. “I’m fine, mother. And so is Cheryl.” 

 

Toni couldn’t believe it’s only been a couple a seconds since she’s stepped foot inside the mansion and she’s already trying so hard not to cringe at the joke for a grande dame that is Penelope Blossom. 

 

She reluctantly lets go of Cheryl’s hand. 

 

Cheryl accepts an insouciant hug from her mother and then another hug and a kiss in the cheek from Clifford. “Welcome home, pumpkin.” He mutters.

 

And Toni exhales, she wishes she brought her eye spray because this...is just too hard on the eyes. Maybe she’s judging a little too easily but it looks a bit forced, not to mention awkward and uncomfortable. But of course, she plasters a smile like she always does. 

 

“Toni.” He extends a hand to her instead.  _ Thank god.  _

 

“Thank you for having us, Mr. Blossom.” The brunette answers, civilly shaking the man’s hand. 

 

And then Mr. Blossom looks at her straight in the eyes, which made Toni feel tinsy bit uneasy. She’s sure it’s the first time her father-in-law actually looked at her, like really looked at her after five years of being with his daughter. 

 

“Jason.” He then turns his attention to her wife’s brother, who is currently laughing at what Cheryl had whispered, arm slung around the younger girl’s neck. “I assume you’ll be joining us for dinner?”

 

“Yep.” Jason nods, pursing his lips. “Better let them get settled in first then. I need your opinion on something, Dad. Should we talk about this at your office?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Cheryl muttered a quick  _ see you later  _ towards the family before she’s leading Toni upstairs by her left arm. 

 

Nothing much changed from the inside, at least from what she remembers. It still smelled like the combination of roses and old wood, with a slight hint of polish. The creepy paintings hung from the walls of the high ceilinged room where the wooden splitting staircase proudly stood. They pass through a couple of maids, who politely greeted and welcomed them before they found the two large white wooden doors with red accents that she’s sure belonged to her wife’s bedroom. 

 

She’s frequents Thistlehouse because of Jason but that cottage surely had nothing on Thornhill. This house...is a palace. 

 

Cheryl pushes the doors, dragging Toni behind her. They slowly entered the room, where they found one helper changing the white queen sized bed with a fresh set of red sheets. When she was finished, she greets them before doing a small bow and exiting. 

 

And Toni was suddenly hit with so much memories from high school, back when Cheryl had to sneak her in through the backdoor or the broken window at the southeast wing. 

 

She hears the redhead hum. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this but...I really missed my room.”

 

Toni chuckles, walking to the bed and soothing the Egyptian cotton with her hand. “I know. I feel the same.” She sits down on the bed, tossing her camera bag gently as she watched Cheryl move about the room, an amused look on her face. 

 

“Everything’s the same.” She says weakly, running a hand over the medium sized frame that contained a picture of her in her Vixens uniform. “It’s like I never left. This is amazing, TT.”

 

Toni beams at her wife despite the gnawing feeling in her gut that tells her Cheryl actually described never leaving as amazing. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

 

Cheryl sighs happily, walking towards her wife and then straddling her, either knees planted beside the brunette’s lap. “I am happy.”

 

And suddenly all her reservations about going in were flushed down the drain, because Cheryl’s  _ happy.  _

 

“I’m happy... _ as long as I got you.”  _ The redhead massages the back of her head. “Doesn’t matter where we are.” 

 

“Uh huh.” The brunette nodded, brushing their lips together. 

 

Cheryl closed the gap, smiling as she feels Toni’s hands instinctively wrap around her waist. 

 

“We had our first time in this bed.” Toni whispers, pulling away slightly. “Prom night. Your parents went on a business trip to London.”

 

A devious smile spread over Cheryl’s lips recalling the memory. She remembered being a fumbling mess during her first time with Toni which was, well, her first time overall. “You remember that, huh? What else do you remember?”

 

Toni squints at her, eyes looking at the distance to pretend like she’s actually thinking. “I remember one time we had to change the sheets because you…” she trails off, wiggling her eyebrows before holding out two fingers and wiggling them too. “...twice. Ow!”

 

Cheryl playfully shoves her wife’s shoulder. “I did not! I never do that.” And it never fails to amaze Toni how she could easily make Cheryl blush so much that she turns into her favorite color. 

 

“Oh but you did.” Toni retorts, palming the redhead’s outer thigh. 

 

“I did not, Toni! Why are you lying?” Cheryl laughs, planting her face unto her wife’s shoulder. Then, she hears her grunt. A sign of defeat. “You promised me you will never bring it up again, ever.” She grumbles. 

 

Toni runs a hand through red hair. “Don’t worry, baby. I find it...rather hot.”

 

Cheryl’s peal of laughter made Toni giddy, because literally nothing made her happier than making Cheryl happy.  

 

“Wanna relive it?” Toni offers, grinning at Cheryl’s face, her favorite pair of bright brown eyes alight with amusement. 

 

She could already feel Toni’s arm on her outer thigh, ready to flip her any minute. “Now? Dinner is going to start soon.”

 

The brunette could only wiggle her eyebrows in response, a hint of mischief on her own brown eyes as she leans in for another sensual kiss. 

 

“Baby, I hope you know…” Cheryl says in between kisses, “...you always wanting sex…” she dives in again, “...is the reason why we’re always late to things.” She hears Cheryl chuckle. 

 

And that was just not acceptable, laughing and talking while kissing. So Toni steps up her game, holding her wife’s thigh and successfully flipping them so she’s pinning her to the bed. She places her hand under her chin, tilting her how she wants her and holding her to lick into her mouth. But Toni feels it again, and it’s like word vomit, something that she can never control because she likes the way it makes Cheryl feel, likes the way the redhead would squirm and finds the blush in her cheeks super adorable. 

 

“No.” Toni says, lifting her head up. “You pretending you don’t want sex is why we’re always late to things.” She takes her earlobe between her teeth. “I always end up having to convince you otherwise.”

 

Cheryl finds the front zipper of Toni’s leather jacket, trapping it between her index finger and her thumb. 

 

“So, do I get to fuck you right now?”

 

The redhead’s eyelashes fluttered at the question and Toni could feel herself being pulled down. This time Cheryl was incharge of the kiss, taking Toni’s hand on her chin to deposit them on top of her dress shirt, exactly where the buttons would be. 

 

“Is that a yes?” She pulls her head up one last time to meet her wife’s eyes, a huge smirk adorning her face. 

 

Cheryl could only suck a breath as she gives Toni’s head a sharp yank, pulling her into a bruising kiss. She drags her nails up and down the back of Toni’s head, until she finally settled on the collar of the girl’s leather jacket. 

 

Toni rolled her hips so Cheryl could open her legs more to accommodate her. And she doesn’t know exactly when her shirt was unbuttoned because for reason she could feel Toni’s bare hands on the skin of her stomach. 

 

And just as Toni is making a quick work of Cheryl’s white skirt, there was a small squeaking noise which...can only mean one thing. 

 

“Oh!” Jason yells, making them jump so much that Toni almost lost her balance as the arm holding her up wobbles. She fell beside her wife instead. “Oh my god, really!? It’s been what, ten minutes? You guys are...rabbits” He groans, his face morphing into a look of disgust before turning around. 

 

Cheryl sits up, rolling her eyes while she works on the buttons of her red blouse. 

 

“That’s something I never wanted to see…” he comments, his back facing the two women. “I am...scarred for life.”

 

“And you say only the women of this family are dramatic.” She lets out an annoyed scuff, but mostly directing it at Toni, whose shoulders are shaking from laughing. “We still have clothes on. You can turn around, Leonardo DiCaprio.”

 

When he turns around, one eye dramatically closed to see if the coast is clear, Toni realized he wasn’t wearing the white polo shirt that he was wearing earlier. He dressed much more formal, a blue coat over a burgundy shirt, which Toni guesses is for dinner. 

 

Right, they do that here. Get dressed for eating a fucking meal. 

 

“You know you two should be more careful now. I could be Dad, or worse Mom.” 

 

“Well you should have knocked, JJ. Did you forget your manners?” Cheryl challenged. “Plus, that wouldn’t be the end of the world for me. They can walk in on us anytime. It’s their fault for being invasive.” She says even though she knows Jason’s got a point. 

 

“Cher…” He tilts his head, giving the two ladies a cheeky grin. “The door was wide open.”

 

Cheryl folded her arms on her chest, trying to come up with something, as she rotates her head to see Toni with a sheepish grin. “Why are you here anyways?”

 

“Dinner will be ready in 10. Are you guys settled in yet?”

 

“Not yet. I’m gonna do it later.” Cheryl answers. 

 

“Just have one of the maids do it.” 

 

Cheryl shakes her head firmly. “I _ can _ unload our things later.” 

 

Jason pauses, looking at her sister like he doesn’t believe it. “Okay.” He nods nonchalantly already moving towards the direction of the door. “I’ll see you down there.” 

 

Cheryl turns her attention back to her giddy wife. “You loved every second of that, didn’t you?”

 

And then Toni doubles in the laughter, letting her back crash down the mattress with a huff. “Did you see his face?”

 

“Babe, is there something you want to tell me? About you always wanting to get caught?” She sees the confusion on the brunette’s face. “Do we need to spice things up in the bedroom?”

 

Toni scoffed, reaching for a pillow and pitching it towards her wife, who ducked just in time. “Fuck you, babe. It’s not...like that.” 

 

“Oh yeah? What about that time you wanted to do it at the backseat of Fangs’ truck while Sweet Pea and Ronnie were sleeping right next to us…”

 

The remaining of the time were spent with Cheryl listing some of their past sexual escapades off, with Toni half listening, and half watching her ramble and gesture wildly. The way her eyes would light up and her lips would curl every time she mentions she loves her, like she’s justifying whatever the hell she’s trying to prove herself. 

 

She will be forever in awe that she really did manage to bag such an amazing woman who oozes sex appeal just by sitting on a bed. Cheryl makes her feel grossly happy and annoyingly sexy, everyday. And until they got together, she never would’ve considered doing the things that they’ve done, sexually, in the past. Cheryl brings out the spontaneous side of her. 

 

“Wait.” She interrupts, glancing at the clock in her phone. “I didn’t change.”

 

Cheryl looks at her wife’s tight black jeans and striped t-shirt inside the leather jacket. “You’re fine.” At least, the jeans weren’t ripped and the shirt isn’t revealing too much skin. 

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“If they banish you from the table, I’m going to burn down this Dracula Mansion.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Toni recalls the last time she sat with Clifford and Penelope Blossom for dinner. Two years ago, she spent Thanksgiving in this very same house, very same dining table with Cheryl’s family because of a silly bet that Cheryl had put her up for. They lasted one hour before Cheryl was leading her out with trembling fingers. The rage that she saw in the girl’s eyes was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. 

 

Toni stares at the antique grandfather’s clock that sat above the fireplace inside the dining area. 

 

A tiny wave of relief washed over her as the final seconds count in. They’ve officially lasted an hour and a minute. And Cheryl seems to be holding her shit together just right. 

 

It’s been an hour and a minute of nothing but business talks and Toni could swear she can find better entertainment at a funeral. 

 

Mr. Blossom asks for Cheryl’s opinion every now and then, just for the sake of letting her jump in the conversation. Cheryl puts in vague inputs. 

 

She contemplates on which size of spoon to use, nails tapping on mahogany, eyes cautiously looking around the table. Cheryl looks bored. Jason is amused at Cheryl being bored. Penelope looks like she’s in pain, and Toni...Toni finds herself in a blackhole. 

 

Years and years of this family giving their crap to Cheryl about being with Toni taught her that sometimes, it’s better to just shrug things off. Especially when Penelope wouldn’t get off her back. So that’s what she’s doing right now. Toni on the other hand though, is not doing so well. 

 

Business talk went on for a while, and Toni really finds herself wanting to get on the topic. So when Clifford Blossom called her name during dessert for the first time, a feeling of excitement coursed through her veins so much that she almost popped a nerve flipping her head. 

 

“Cheryl has mentioned your love of photography.” He states naturally. “Don’t you know that Cheryl and Jason have a cousin that can help you get into the industry?” He then looks to Cheryl. “Now that you’re home, maybe you two can pay Alexander a visit?”

 

Cheryl stiffens, her jaw slowed down chewing as she side eyes Toni. The redhead seemed dumbfounded, which she understands. She doesn’t know how to react either. 

 

A cousin who can help, huh. Although that was good news, and she was thrilled to find out about that, she’s also curious as to why Cheryl forgot to tell her. It’s definitely a conversation for later. She knows her wife had a good reasoning. It’s cool. No reason to choke on her cheesecake. 

 

Toni wasn’t called for the rest of the dinner.  

 

* * *

 

Cheryl giggles at Toni’s little groan of satisfaction as the tiny brunette’s body crashed over the mattress with a loud huff. “Man, I’m stuffed. I’ve never had that much  _ business  _ in such a long time.”

 

She had just came back from the closet after getting finished unpacking when she found Toni lying over the stacks of her old baby photos with Jason. She looks at Toni sympathetically. “I’m sorry, my love. But I hope this only happens now because JJ joined us.”

 

Toni buries herself in the pillows again, muttering under her breath. “It’s not your fault, Cher. Maybe next time, I can try to fit in.”

 

“You don’t have to try to fit in for anything.” Her eyes fall directly over to the camera bag haphazardly thrown on top of the bed, which reminded her of the things that she has to do. “Why don’t you go for a shower while I clean up this mess? I swear sometimes, I feel like I’m married to a five year old.”

 

Toni lifts her head up. Her body feels ready to drop off, but her wife’s right. She does need a shower. “You’re cute as a child.” She comments randomly, holding one photo of Cheryl in a sailor costume. “I want our child to look like you.”

 

“Our child? Y-You’d want kids with me?” The redhead asks, slightly shocked. She knows Toni wants kids but they’ve never really had proper conversations about it before. They’d been married for almost a year and though yeah, some might say they were taking things slow and they were still young, the conversation is the kind that has to be had more sooner rather than later. 

 

“Of course, baby! Of course I’d want that.” Toni sits up, pulling Cheryl closer so she’s standing right in front of her. “There’s nothing in this world that I want more than starting a family with you.” She says, meeting Cheryl’s eyes. “Someday, Cher…” She runs a hand over Cheryl’s elbow. “Someday, when I can afford to make all those things happen, I’m going to give that to you…”

 

Cheryl peers down, her hand cupping Toni’s left cheek, pads of her thumb gently caressing the girl’s cheekbones. “When  _ we _ can afford, TT...”

 

Toni couldn’t help but close her eyes at the tenderness of the moment. She plays with the band on her wife’s ring finger, which she’s been doing quite frequently for the past few days. “I want you to be a mommy...of five.”

 

Cheryl giggles, yanking on their intertwined hands a little harshly. “As long as you carry half...fair is fair.”

 

“Yeah no, I’m good thanks.” Toni pokes her tongue out for a while. “Plus, how the fuck are we dividing five equally?”

 

“Maybe we get to have our own set of twins…”

 

Toni pursed her lips. “Yeah, good thinking. I did not think of that.”

 

“Of course, you didn’t...now go shower. You stink.”

 

Toni gasped, lifting her arms up to smell her armpits. “I do not!” She hugs the redhead’s butt, pulling her closer to the bed. “You love my smell.”

 

Cheryl can only giggle. “In fact, yeah I do. Even after a long day of work…” She plants a loud kiss on her wife’s lips for the first time since coming back from dinner. “...I still love smelling you.” She plants another on her jaw. “But you gotta go, I’m actually really tired.”

 

After receiving another playful slap from Cheryl, Toni managed to oblige since her wife mentioned being exhausted. With a huge pout of her face, she stomped to the direction of the bathroom. 

 

As soon as Cheryl heard the waters running and Toni humming, she immediately grabbed her wife’s camera, taking in the memory card to insert into her laptop. 

 

Cheryl was eager to find out what inspires Toni for the past month. She always finds herself in awe at her wife’s talent. She casually checks the folder that contained the portfolio as the memory starts reading. 

 

_ It’s gonna pay off _ . Now that she actually has the means to help Toni, she’s never been more set on submitting her wife’s works to different big time studios, with the help of cousin Alexander of course. 

 

But Cheryl’s excitement quickly turns into shock the moment the card got read. 

 

_ Nothing.  _

 

**This folder is empty.**

 

She blinks, her finger hovering over the mouse trackpad.  _ No.  _ No, she’s not giving up on her passion. She’s not going to let her. Not while she still lives. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know the drill. i’m also open for suggestions, you know. and i try so hard to put them all in. so keep them coming. 
> 
> And thank you so much for reading
> 
> diving into this world has helped me deal with my anxiety a lot these past few days. and i feel blessed to share this with you. so ye hmu


	6. let me take your hand, i’ll make it right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> choni’s first morning at thornhill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ey yo. I just couldn’t resist to post another fluffy-ish one. This is in honor of the earthquake that legit shook my world today. 
> 
> And also, a quick-ish update to make up for the lateness of the last chapter.

Toni cringed at the sudden ray of brightness that thrashed her sleep. She instinctively rolled over to cover her face and tucked herself under the duvet comfortably, muffling a series of curse words and grunts that fell from her mouth because of the interruption. 

 

“Wakey, wakey, my love.” An enthusiastic Cheryl said, yanking the duvet harshly making Toni grunt loudly. 

 

With one eye open, the brunette glared bloody murder at her wife. “What the fuck, Cheryl? It’s a Saturday. You don’t even have a class today. Why the hell are you up so early?”

 

And after years of being together, Toni is still taking the time to get used to her wife being the morningest person in this whole fucking universe. God, Cheryl is a real energizer bunny in the morning. 

 

“Ooh, good morning to you too, babe.” Cheryl answered, teasingly. 

 

“Come back to beeed. Please, Cher.” Toni pouted, hoping it would make her insistent wife give in. 

 

“You never complain like this when I wake you up for sex.” 

 

“Is that why you’re waking me up right now?”

 

“No.” Cheryl giggled. 

 

“Then get your sexy ass back here and cuddle me. I need to sleep before I start my shift at Pop’s today.” Toni complains, pulling the covers back. 

 

Cheryl takes a deep breath. “You’re not gonna be going back to your job at Pop’s.” 

 

“Yeah, right.” 

 

“No, babe. I’m serious. I also sent out your resignation at the Wyrm.” 

 

Truth is, she had it done right after the hospital sent them home. See Cheryl had a plan. If they don’t push through going back to Thornhill, she’s going to let Toni focus on her work at the studio and then she’s going to take the job at Pop’s. Which thankfully was unnecessary since they pushed through the original plan. At least now that they both exactly don’t have a rent that they need to pay for, she can let Toni focus on doing what she absolutely loves: Photography. 

 

Toni’s eyes open “I’m sorry. You did what?!”

 

“You don’t need it anymore, Toni. At least not now. I already talked to Pop and he told me you can come back whenever.” Cheryl said, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Look babe, I know what you’re thinking. You’re going to tell me we need to save up for when we move out. But…” She sar down on the bed carefully. “Can we please, for once, not worry about tomorrow? We have a stable thing right now. And I need you to focus on what you truly want to do.”

 

Toni blinked rapidly, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. She knows their living situation has put a lot of emotional strain for the both of them, especially Cheryl. And that’s why she understands where her wife was coming from. But as Cheryl mentioned saving up, an idea just popped into her head. Now that she’s got a lot of extra time, she can finally take the job Jason was offering her. She needs to get a hold of him soon, might as well make the most out her stay at Thornhill. 

 

“I know, baby.” She said running a hand over her pink locks. “Okay.”

 

Cheryl sighed happily, taking one of Toni’s hand in hers. “Thank you.” And Toni returns her smile before she’s falling back on the mattress with an another annoyed grunt. “Hey, I didn’t say it’s okay to get back to sleep.”

 

“Why?!” Toni complained, shooting daggers at the redhead. And it was then that she fully realized that Cheryl is wearing a black tank top and a black tight spandex. “Oh no, baby. I love you. But no.”

 

The last time Cheryl had convinced her to go for a hike on the hills near Blossom Estate, her limbs nearly fell off. 

 

“Come on! It’s such a beautiful day for a morning hike. We’ll stay close to the mansion this time, I promise.” It was Cheryl’s turn to pout. 

 

“Cher, I can do labor. But exercise? Hell no. My body isn’t fit for climbing and running. You take care, though. I love you.” Toni kisses the redhead’s temple quickly, before pulling the covers tighter around her body. 

 

“Baaaabe!” Cheryl whined, reaching for Toni’s arms to gently tug her away from the bed. “You’re going to let me go there alone? What if there are bears?”

 

“Babe.” Toni starts. “I’m already scared shitless of your father. You think I can handle a bear? Why don’t you go and ask him instead? I’m sure he has one of those shotguns used for hunting.” The brunette paused and then suddenly her eyes widen. “Oh god, that’s not a good thing…” 

 

“You know, you’re such a baby sometimes...and why are you scared of my Dad? I don’t care what he thinks…”

 

“Well, I do.” Now that Clifford is actually at least trying to be a father, Toni feels as if she needs to do something to win his approval. She didn’t know she wanted to until last night’s dinner, actually. The way they talked about business and family things, she wanted to contribute something to that. Plus, they’ve been sharing a roof. In fact, Toni is the outsider living under said roof. But not for long… “And have you seen your father, babe? Every time he looks at me I feel like he wants to rip my throat out and feed me to your pet wolves.”

 

Cheryl rolled her eyes, chuckling. “You’re being over dramatic.”

 

“I’m serious! I used to not give a shit about what he thinks but I don’t know, he’s just really scary.” 

 

Cheryl’s face remained impassive. “Antoinette Topaz…” she trails off. “You’re not getting your way out of this hike.”

 

“Cheeeer.” Toni whines again. Nothing really get passed her wife and by now you’d think she’s gotten used to it. 

 

“Babe, you have like, fifty abs. How come you don’t really exercise? Not to mention, we order Taco Bell almost like thrice a week.”

 

Toni laughs at Cheryl’s exaggeration. “Good genes, I guess.” She then shrugs. 

 

“Yes well, then good for you. I, on the other hand, have to exercise to maintain this body. So if you really like my ass the shape it is, you’re going to come with me right now.”

 

The brunette smirks stupidly, tilting her head as Cheryl intentionally picked up a piece of clothing on the floor to give Toni a full view of her clothed ass. “I do. I really do.” 

 

Cheryl claps in victory, giggling in excitement that her plan had worked out. “Good. Come on then.” 

 

Taking a deep sigh, Toni closes her eyes briefly. “Fine.” She loves being so whipped for that bossy bitch so goddamn much. 

 

* * *

  
  


An hour of whining and groaning later, Cheryl has finally decided Toni’s had enough. After taking a dozen or two selfies, they jogged back to the mansion, going in the back door that led to the dirty kitchen. Luckily, the room was empty, which Cheryl was happy for. 

 

Cheryl took a bottle of water from the two door refrigerator before tossing another one to Toni who looks like she might be choking on her own air. “That was nice.” She comments after taking a huge gulp of cold water. 

 

“Babe…” Toni says, trying to catch her breath. “That was torture. We shouldn’t have raced on the way back. I can’t feel my lungs.”

 

Cheryl rolled her eyes for what seemed like the thousandth time this morning. 

 

Toni threw her head back, chugging the bottle her wife had thrown her, nearly spluttering the contents through her nose as Cheryl started stripping her shirt. 

 

She watched as Cheryl advanced towards her, her expression changing suddenly to predatory, bottom lip stuck between her teeth. She hears her chuckle under her breath. 

 

“What are you doing…” Toni mutters, her eyes locked on the hand slowly lifting her grey hoodie to expose her stomach. “Cher, someone might walk in.”

 

“I thought you liked that.” Her breath ghosting the brunette’s pulse point, which made her shiver. Cheryl smirks.  _ Yes. _

 

Toni blew a raspberry at her. “I never said that. I swear babe, if your father…” a hard suck on her collarbone nearly made her lose her train of thought,”...sees us.”

 

Cheryl proceeded on nipping Toni’s ear, soothing the bite with her tongue from time to time. “He won’t be up for another hour. I wanna reward you for being so good this morning. I really have the best wife in the whole world.” She palms both the brunette’s hands, guiding them on top of the material of her sports bra. “Come on, TT...since when are you the one to convince? I thought that was me…”

 

“Fuck, Cher.” She couldn’t help but dissolve under her wife touch, especially since Cheryl started trailing her tongue on her neck. She pulls back unwillingly. “I-I’m sweaty, babe.”

 

“Hmm...it’s sexy.” 

 

Cheryl was moaning into her ear and suddenly Toni was grasping her ass and carrying her towards the counter. “ _ Fuck it.”  _

 

“Fuck me…” she whispers, capturing Toni’s lips into a bruising kiss. The back of her head hit the cabinets with a small thud and she groaned, almost making Toni worry. When she feels the brunette slightly pulling away to check on her, she hugs her body closer, nipping at Toni’s bottom lip. That seemed to relax Toni because her hand suddenly found its way under her sports bra, pulling her breast out. 

 

When Toni ran her tongue over Cheryl’s nipple, she couldn't think of any reason to stop. Her wife’s nails scratched her scalp. 

 

“Oh Toni…” Cheryl moans quite loudly. 

 

Then, soft noises can be heard and they barely had the time to fix Cheryl’s bra before Joseph, the butler and Felix, her father’s capo came walking in on them. And it’s like nothing could be more shocking than that until Cheryl saw her own father trailing behind. 

 

“Dad!” 

 

_ Oh god. Oh shit. God, fuck.  _ Toni cursed, kicking herself in the head internally as well. Can the earth just swallow her whole? 

 

“S-Sir—“ She stuttered. And she just knows that she looks like an absolute fucking idiot as she tangos between picking Cheryl’s shirt up and covering her.  _ Oh my god.  _

 

She sees Clifford clear his throat, straightening his robe with his hand. The other two men, whispered something to him before leaving the room completely. He had a stony look on his face, which made Toni swallow.  _ God,  _ her father-in-law just walked in on her defiling his daughter. She wanted to blame Cheryl for being an absolute fucking tease because at this point she literally wants to hide and die in a hole. 

“I’ll see you two at breakfast.” He says without meeting their eyes, before walking out of the room. 

 

“I can’t get one single ounce of privacy in this house…” Cheryl deadpans as she still sat on top of the counter. 

 

Toni places a hand on her forehead. “Cheryl, we are literally in the kitchen.” She says firmly, eyes still wide from shock. “Oh god, you’re father is going to have me beheaded.” She turns around to face Cheryl. “Oh literally kill me right now.”

 

Cheryl remained quiet while Toni lets her forehead crash on her shoulder, until she began to break and melted into a fit of laughter. 

 

Toni snaps her head up, glaring at her wife. “No please, go on. I’m glad you’re finding this funny. I wanna die.”

 

“No—I’m sorry baby.” She soothes the brunette’s back, trying to contain her giggles, but her shoulders continued to shake as she barreled into a second fit of laughter.  _ “Did you see his face?”  _

 

“When it was Jason, it was funny. But Cher, it’s your father!” Toni intoned, as her wife continued with not taking her seriously. It certainly minuses major brownie points. 

 

“Look, it’s not that I’m not glad you actually and suddenly want to value what my father thinks, but babe you have to relax.” Cheryl wraps her arms around Toni’s neck lazily. “What do you say we continue? He won’t be back for sure…”

 

Toni’s jaw hung open as she looks at her wife like she grew a second head. “What the—? No.”  _ How can she not take this seriously?  _ “I’m showering.” She says as she slowly detached herself from Cheryl. She was near the door when she pauses to look back. “Are you coming or not?”

 

Cheryl’s grins devilishly, jumping down from the counter. “ _ That’s what she said.”  _ She mumbles before leading Toni up the stairs, to their bedroom and to the ensuite where she lets the brunette bend her over the tiled seat of the shower area. 

 

* * *

 

Toni runs her hands down the front of her yellow checkered dress, examining her appearance in the mirror. She puts on her black beanie on top of her slowly fading pink strands and removes it again for the tenth time. 

 

“I’m sorry about what you walked in on, Sir. I promise it won’t ever happen again.” She practices, examining every angle in the mirror. “I respect her. And I respect that you were kind enough to let us live in your house.” 

 

“Well, aren’t you the cutest.” Cheryl teases, emerging from the ensuite while ruffling her freshly curled hair. She was a knockout in her white sundress and minimal makeup. “Are you trying to look good for my dad?”

 

“Hey, gorgeous.” She greets her. “What do you think? Beanie on or off?”

 

Cheryl pauses, examining her with eyes full of admiration and little hint of lust. She loves Toni’s edgy style. It seems to suite her so well. “On.”

 

Toni gives her a smile from her reflection in the mirror. “You sure? I don’t want to look out of place. The beanie kind of shouts, I don’t know, weird?”

 

The redhead wraps her arms around her waist. “You look beautiful. Stop stressing over it.” She pecks Toni’s lips, their freshly applied lipgloss meshing together. “Mmm...you taste amazing too.” 

 

“Cher.” She warns. 

 

“What?” Cheryl said innocently. “Ready?”

 

Toni nods and then they held hands as they walked out of their room and then down the stairs. She imagined Cheryl growing up in this place. And although the redhead didn’t exactly had a perfect childhood, the thought of a mini Cheryl running around this huge fortress, so small and so delicate, still warms her heart. 

 

Cheryl leads them to the patio area where Nana Rose, Clifford and Penelope were already seated. 

 

“Morning, girls. You two had a good night of sleep?” Clifford asks, toying with the gigantic silver ring on his index finger. 

 

“Yes, daddy. You just saw us this morning.” 

 

_ Damn, Cheryl.  _ She really had to bring it up. Suddenly all of Toni’s blood run to her face. “About this morning, sir. I’m sorry—“

 

“It’s fine, Antoinette.” Clifford interrupts, a small smile on his face. “I’m glad you two are enjoying your stay here with us.”

 

Toni bites the insides of her cheek nervously, glancing down at the plate Cheryl is making for her. 

 

“We missed you last night at dinner, Nana.” Cheryl says casually, changing the topic. “I take it you’re feeling a little better this morning. You remember Toni, right?”

 

The poor old lady had to sleep early last night, missing the chance to get to know Toni more. Cheryl had visited her last night in her room to check on her, but the grandmother was unfortunately passed out. 

 

“Cheryl, dear. It’s good to have you back. Are you staying for good?” 

 

Cheryl shifts uncomfortably in her seat, meeting Toni’s eyes. Meanwhile, she could see Clifford looking at her expectantly. “We’re staying for a while, Nana. Me and Toni, my wife. You remember her?” She tries again. 

 

“Oh, I remember Antoinette, alright.” The old woman looks at Toni endearingly. “I didn’t know you got married. How wonderful.”  _ Good,  _ that’s one Blossom on her team. Well, two if she counts Cheryl. 

 

“Yes Nana, we did.” Cheryl places her hand on top of Toni’s, smiling at her brightly. “So you’re eighty fifth birthday is coming soon, Nana. Are you excited?”

 

“A Blossom Ball is only appropriate to celebrate the birthday of the oldest living Blossom, of course.” Penelope says, wiping her mouth with linen. “I’m going to need you and your brother’s help planning and sending invites to our family and friends, Cheryl. Only the best for our dearest Nana Rose.” 

 

Cheryl sighs. “If I’m not busy with school, then why not.”

 

“Speaking of family and friends, where are your parents, Toni? You have any siblings?” 

 

And Cheryl could on clutch her fork tighter at her mother’s bluntness. “Mother…” she warns. She just knows how sensitive this topic is for Toni. 

 

“No it’s fine, babe.” She gives Cheryl a comforting smile. “My biological family is no more. My parents died when I was very young. I don’t have any siblings. My grandpa used to take care of me before he passed away during high school. Then, I had the serpents. And they have been my family ever since. But mostly it has just been me and Cheryl.” 

 

Penelope gives her a small nod. 

 

“We’re sorry to hear that, Toni.” Clifford adds. 

 

“It’s okay, Mr. Blossom.”

 

“On that note, have you talked to your cousin Alexander about Toni yet, Cheryl?” Clifford asks. 

 

“Not yet, dad. Are we even on speaking terms with Uncle Claudius’ family?”

 

Clifford’s eyes seem to burn in rage at the mention of his twin brother, which Cheryl didn’t miss. She knew they never liked each other, the polar opposite of her and Jason, but she didn’t know it was this bad. “There’s no need to worry about your Uncle Claudius, pumpkin. I can phone Alexander myself today if you want.” He offers. 

 

“Actually—“ Toni’s heart started thumping loudly in her ears. She looks to Cheryl who had a confused look on her face. It’s a decision that’s been thinking about for weeks now. And now that she has all the reasons in the world, she could only hope that Cheryl would understand her. “I was...I was thinking if you could give me a spot at Blossom Maple Farms.” She says carefully. 

 

And it was quiet again, before she had to wince at the sharp sound of Cheryl’s fork hitting a ceramic plate. 

 

“I don’t know. Jason said he has something for me, and I’d like to take it now, sir. Please.” 

 

She could see Cheryl shaking her head in her peripheral vision. And Toni’s stomach bubbled at the expected disappointment on her wife’s face.

 

Clifford looks at her with such amusement, a mocking smirk smacked right across his face. He looks at his daughter’s pained expression briefly.  “What made you suddenly put an interest, dear?”

 

Toni clears her throat. “I—I...The family business kind of fascinated me, sir. And I wanna prove to you that I’m worthy of your daughter.” She says, playing with the eggs on her plate. “I’m not entirely new to business. I used to help manage a bar at the Southside called The Whyte Wyrm.  And I know that doesn’t really count for anything.”

 

“Managing a bar and a multi-million dollar maple business are two different things. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

 

“Yes, sir. I’m willing to learn. And I’m a fast learner I promise.”

 

At this point she couldn’t even dare look at Cheryl’s face. It’ll break her heart. But she knows she has to do this. 

 

Clifford stares at her, taking a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll have Jason and Felix train you. You’ll have sessions with me as well. I’m glad you want to be a part of this, Antoinette.”

 

“Toni.” Cheryl says for the first time since it all started. “What are you…what about photography?”

 

Toni places a comforting hand on her thigh in an attempt to calm her down. “I’m going to let it rest for a while. Right now, it’s something that I don’t have the energy to work on.” She bites her lip, trying to gauge Cheryl’s reaction. 

 

“I think it’s wonderful that your wife took interest in the family business, Cheryl.” Penelope butts in, getting the redhead’s engine running even more. “Soon, you’ll be in it as well so as to put your education to good use.”

 

Cheryl was clenching her jaw so hard, Toni was worried she’s going to break it. All of her dreams for Toni, for them, all of it...she couldn’t believe Toni was willing to put it all aside. Toni gave her everything that she could ever ask for and her only wish in this life is to reciprocate that. She just needs a little more time.  _ Just a little bit more... _

 

The loud screeching of the metal chair on tiled floors echoed around the open area of Thornhill’s breakfast patio as Cheryl stood up from her seat. She throws her napkin on the table and raced upstairs, unable to take it anymore. 

 

Then, a knowing look was exchanged between the two older Blossoms. 

 

Toni was quick on her feet to follow her, passing through the door of their bedroom just as Cheryl was about to lock it. 

 

“Cheryl.” Toni calls softly at the pacing redhead. 

 

“Once again!” Cheryl exclaims. “Toni, once again...you make another big decision without consulting me. When…” She trails off, her fingers trembling a little, “...are you going to treat me like I’m part of this marriage?!”

 

“Cheryl, can you please calm down. It’s such a simple thing, please.” Toni pleads. 

 

The redhead scoffs. “Simple thing...it’s not just a simple thing, Toni.”

 

“Babe, you’re overreacting. Please, let’s discuss this properly.” She reaches for Cheryl’s hand but the redhead quickly swats her away. 

 

“Well, that’s what you should’ve done before you ambushed me with your decision earlier.” 

 

Toni tries not to wince at the biting tone her wife uses on her. 

 

“Look I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize that I wanted it fully until this morning. I need to get a real job, Cher.”

 

“And I’m going to get you one! With Alexander’s help. You just have to give me a little bit of time!” Cheryl runs a hand over her hair frustratingly. “And it’s not like your job at the studio isn’t real.”

 

God, Toni hates it with so much passion when they fight. But fuck, she just knows she also needed to give Cheryl a piece of her mind or she’s going crazy. 

 

“You know you talk so much about how I’m supposed to discuss things with you when you completely went behind my back about my resignation.” And Toni did everything in her power to stop the following words from falling from her mouth, but it’s like exhaling after holding her breath for so long. “Can you just let me be?!”

 

“I did it for you! So you could focus on photography. That was the dream, Toni. Remember?”

 

“Ugh. There you go again with photography being the dream. That used to be the dream! And now I just want to do this for myself. I can’t drown in my own self pity again, Cheryl!”

 

Now it’s a yell fest between them. And as usual as the first tear make their appearance on Cheryl’s face, Toni was quick to close the distance between them to wipe her wife’s tears away. 

 

“I’m sorry!” Cheryl sobs. “I didn’t realize—I didn’t realize I was being controlling.”

 

“Shhh...baby, I know you only want what’s best for me.” Toni begins, rubbing smooth circles on her wife’s arm. “But babe, I’m tired.”

 

Cheryl lifts her head up, and staring at Toni’s eyes right at that moment made her see how genuinely exhausted she is with everything. 

 

“Come here.” Toni sits them over to the bed, taking both Cheryl’s hands in hers. “I’m not saying I’ve already given up on photography baby. I still love it. And I love how you support me for it. I’m just taking a break, I guess. I’m sorry if I didn’t talk to you about it, but to be fair you also went behind my back and I’m not doing this to get back at you…”

 

“No I know. You’re right…”

 

“Babe, I promise.” She raises both the redhead’s hands to her lips, placing kisses on them. “I promise, I’m not giving up on it entirely.”

 

“Toni.” Cheryl shifts. “I just want you to know that you don’t have to prove anything to anyone, especially my father.”

 

“Okay yeah, that’s part of why I wanted to take the job. But also, I really want to be better for myself. I know that handing coffees and holding up lights isn’t what I want to do for the rest of my life…”

 

Cheryl still have mixed feelings toward this. Part of her wants to be happy for Toni for stepping up and wanting to better her life. But another part of her tells her this isn’t the right answer for that. Not to mention, she doesn’t trust her parents completely. 

 

But she can see the defeated look in Toni’s eyes. Her heart breaks for her every time her wife comes home, exhausted for nothing. She wants to hold Toni in her arms and let her feel valued and adored every time she gets rejected, wants nothing more than to give her wife the whole world for she deserves it. 

 

_ It’s a pause, Cheryl.  _ It’s not an end. 

 

And at this point, she knows all she can do is support Toni. Because like what she said, it’s just the two of them. So she tries to think, will this really make Toni happy?

 

“Okay.” She says softly. “But promise me, you’ll still take photos.”

 

Toni’s smile lights up her mood. Like it always does. 

 

“I promise.”

 

“I love you, Toni.”

 

“I love you too, babe.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now i know i promised the prev chapter was the last happy one, but i just couldn’t resist. Plus, it’s a nice build up for what’s about to go down. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for your patience with this fic. Pls leave a comment or something. Validate me. I love you all.


	7. you win, you lose, you sing the blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> with her new job at blossom maple farms, toni finds it hard to balance her schedule properly. cheryl sees something that sparked her suspicion. and then cute choni scene at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i am posting this chapter and hiding until the next one cuz...this is shit. Idk not my best work. 
> 
> sorry it’s late :((((

_ 7, 6, 5, 4…3, 2… _

 

Cheryl tries to hold her breath for seven seconds before releasing through her nose for four more. It’s a technique she’s learned from Jason to help her calm down. She stirs the green tea on her hand, enjoying the sound of the clinking of the ceramic with the metal teaspoon. 

 

Toni hasn’t been answering her phone and it’s what, almost 2 in the morning already? She’s never been this late before. Even during this whole week of training with Jason, Felix and her father. In fact, it’s the first time Toni surpassed 12 am. And she always texts her, letting her know the details of her coming home. 

 

She stares at the last texts she sent to the brunette. 

 

**Me [ 1:35am ] : toni, where are you?**

 

**Me [ 1:37am ] : one fucking emoji, toni. just so i know you’re safe**

 

**Me [ 1:40am ] : you’re killing me**

 

**Me [ 1:45am ] : ok no, i’m killing you**

 

She’s also called, always straight to voicemail. So she picks up her phone, dialing Jason’s number instead. 

 

The moment the third ring hits, she hears the very soft squeaking of the doors opening, and then the lock clicking. She hurriedly ended the call, folding her arms on her chest just as Toni’s face appears on the doorway, a sheepish smile adorning her face. 

 

“Ooh, you’re mad…” Toni comments, continuing with her tip toeing even after seeing Cheryl awake. “And you’re still up.”

 

Cheryl tries to hold it in, tries to understand her wife and how exhausted she must have been feeling. “Of course, I stayed up for you.” She simply says. “But if you actually spend some time replying to my texts, you can tell me not to wait up and that you’re okay. Toni…” She bites her tongue for a second, attempting to lower her voice. “You had me worried sick…” she finishes. 

 

Toni rounds her side of the bed, picking up her charger and plugging her phone. A small squeal of relief escaped her lips the moment the screen lit up, indicating it’s charging. “I’m sorry, baby. My phone died.” She says, casually stripping in front of her wife. It died two hours ago, but she hasn’t had the chance to even check it before because Felix has got a strict eye on her. P

 

It was an ugly feeling, just watching her right there because she hasn’t even seen Toni at all this morning, hasn’t even seen the outfit she was wearing. And now the only chance she gets to see the white pencil skirt and the baby blue short sleeved dress shirt her wife was wearing is when she’s stripping it off. 

 

And it was an ugly feeling, watching Toni and for the first time she can’t tell what her wife was feeling. So she decides to get up, just so she could move a little closer to her. Maybe it’s the distance. The distance that was smacked right in between them as soon as Toni started getting involved in the family business. And in between classes and school papers and Cheryl helping with Nana Rose’s eighty fifth, they hardly have time for each other.

 

In fact, she’s sure they haven’t even kissed once today. 

 

She places her nimble fingers on top of the brunette’s shirt, helping her with the buttons. And again, she ignores the loud yelling inside her head that tells her something isn’t right. Because she barely saw her wife today and the last thing that she wants is to spend their time arguing. 

 

Toni bats her eyelashes at her, removing the black headband on her hair. And Cheryl just couldn’t resist to run her fingers through the pink highlights of Toni’s hair. 

 

She fights the urge to say something, because for once the silence was good for them. But Toni half smiles at her and suddenly she feels as if a few spoken words will not hurt their comfortable silence. 

 

“We need to dye your hair again soon…” she whispers, her fingers playing with a few fading pink strands. 

 

Toni licks her lips and of course Cheryl was wrong about it not hurting their comfort. “I don’t know, babe. The pink is kind of getting old.”

 

Cheryl blinks three times. The truth is she can’t ever imagine Toni without her signature pink highlights. It’s been her style since they met in highschool and if, and only if, Toni really wants to let it fade, it’s going to be so hard adjusting. The pink in her wife’s hair is her brand. It’s what distinguishes her from the rest. 

 

“What...do you mean? You don’t want to dye it anymore?”

 

“I mean, yeah...it kind of looks a little immature, you know? For a grown woman with a wife and a corporate job. I don’t know, what do you think?”

 

And she tries to look for it, the genuine curiosity in her wife’s eyes, and a sense of relief flowed through her veins when she found it. “I love your pink hair.” She says simply, careful not to make it sound so  _ controlling.  _

 

And it’s like she could hear Toni think again. “Then pink it is. If my baby loves it, then it stays.”

 

For the first time today, Cheryl smiles genuinely, her eyes falling to Toni’s lips, tempted to close their distance entirely because  _ fuck the distance _ . Some people don’t have the privilege of touching their person every day. And her wife is right here, breathing and living in front of her. So she does it. “Mm...we’ll do it soon.” 

 

“Fuck, I missed you.” Toni whispers against their moving lips. And suddenly she finds herself pushing them to the bed. 

 

It has been so long. 

“I missed you too. I still miss you.” Cheryl cries, feeling the back of Toni’s knees hit the mattress. She gently pushes the brunette down. 

 

Moving to Thornhill has been an absolute torture on their sex life. It’s either Toni’s too scared Clifford might walk in on them or she’s too tired to even keep an eye open while Cheryl is going down on her. And tonight is no exception. 

 

She rubs the fatigue in her eyes, pulling Cheryl into her lap and placing soothing kisses on the redhead’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, baby…” Looking at numbers and papers all day had Toni’s head pounding. Truth is, she wants Cheryl too. But if she so closes her eyes for one second, she’s afraid they won’t open again. 

 

“You’re tired…” Cheryl sighs. “I understand.” 

 

“Babe—“

 

“I get it, Toni.” She tries to sound as soft as possible, flushing the feeling of rejection out of her system. It has been the third time this week and she just keeps on getting it. “I’m going to run a bath for you.” She says, cupping the brunette’s chin, before pecking her lips to give her some kind of reassurance that she really is okay with it. 

 

She detracts herself away from Toni, humming softly while she fills the tub with warm water. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Waking up without Toni seems to be the new norm for them. And although Cheryl hates it, she guesses she’s fine with the idea that Toni’s preoccupied and from the stories she hears from Jason, her wife is doing very well with her work in Blossom Maple Farms. Cheryl wonders how Polly does it, have her husband be married to another, and it’s not even a human person. 

 

Maybe it’s because it’s new. She hopes that as soon as Toni gets settled, her hectic schedule is going change and they’re finally going to spend some time together. 

 

That is why when she extended her arm and found Toni still dozing off, she couldn’t help the sigh of happiness that escaped her lips. 

 

She scoots closer to her, enough that she could feel the brunette’s soft breaths as she sleeps. She puts her index finger on the small scar on her forehead, from when she passed out at Pop’s, and proceeds to trace her eyebrows, and then her cute nose. Then her finger landed on Toni’s lips. 

 

A small twitch on Toni’s eyebrows says she’s waking up against her will, and so Cheryl stops her ministrations. As much as she misses her wife, she felt how exhausted she was last night and so she’s decided that she’s going to let Toni sleep in today. She deserves that at least. 

 

Another idea popped into her head, something that she hasn’t done for Toni in quite a while now, with all their meals prepared and done by their family chef. It’s also been a while since they had a meal just the two of them. Those are some of the things that she misses, the privacy and the intimacy that they both enjoyed before. So she slowly gets up and stretched her strained muscles before looking at her phone to check the time. 

 

Cheryl walked to the stairs, gradually passing through her father’s office and deliberately rolling her eyes when she heard that he was arguing with someone, which was probably Satan herself, her mother. 

 

But she stops in her tracks as soon as she realized the voice who answered sounded exactly like her father. Curiosity bubbled in her stomach and she finds herself tuning in to the discussion. It was a lot of yelling, which wasn’t new. Her father yelled a lot, even before. So moves closer but just as she was pressing her ear into the door, it busted open. 

 

Cheryl flinches at the icy look her Uncle Claudius gave her, and she could almost swear she heard him growl at her. He gives her one final dirty look before he’s storming down the stairs, leaving the redhead confused as hell. 

 

“Cheryl, what are you doing here?” She hears her father ask. 

 

“I was just passing by...Daddy, what did Uncle Claudius want? Why does he look like...he wants to kill me?”

 

Clifford hurried to her daughters side. “He’s just like that, pumpkin.” He runs a hand through his daughter’s hair. “Nothing you need to worry about, that’s for sure.”

 

Cheryl returns her father’s smile unwillingly. “Okay.” She says. “I’m just going to the kitchen to make Toni some breakfast.”

 

He pats her cheek, before nodding and then closing the doors of his office entirely. 

 

That was odd. Cheryl knew her father and his brother did not get along very well but the madness that she saw in her uncle’s eyes matched the same rage that she saw in her father’s eyes when she mentioned him a few days back. 

 

She knew that it had to do with business. It always does. She could care less of that. Her only fear is that Toni might get sucked in now that she’s working for them. And she’s conflicted because yes, it’s a conversation that they have to had. But on the other side, she’s worried it might stem into another argument again. 

 

They’ve been doing that a lot lately. 

 

So Cheryl proceeds downstairs. It’s too early to make a move now. Maybe she’ll ask Jason for help. But she can definitely say she’s going to watch them like a hawk now. 

  
  


* * *

 

By the time Cheryl got back to their room, one tray of pancakes and eggs and bacon on two hands, Toni was already jumping in one foot trying to make her heeled boots a slip on. 

 

“Toni, what are you doing?”

 

“Baby, hi.” The brunette runs to her charging phone on the bedside table as soon as the boot slipped on. “I’m sorry, I have to run—“ she stopped as soon as she saw the breakfast tray Cheryl had prepared for her. “Oh I’m sorry, god. Cheryl, I didn’t know…”

 

Cheryl sucked in a deep breath. Counting 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...She gives Toni a defeated smile. “I wanted to surprise you…”

 

“I know, god.” Toni buttons up her white dress shirt, stepping closer to her wife. “Felix called and said I have to meet some members of the board today and I don’t even know why.” She hurriedly tucks her shirt in her black slacks, an outfit Cheryl doesn’t even know she owns. “But I’m going to eat this…” The brunette then shoves a mouthful of pancake into her mouth. 

 

Cheryl fights a smile. “You’re going to choke…”

 

Toni continues to chew loudly, her cheeks stuffed with food. And then she mutters something close to, “Baby, you’re cooking is getting good.”

 

Cheryl squints an eye at her wife while she chews and swallows all 

 

“Rain check tonight?” Toni asks, wiping her mouth. “Let’s go out to that Italian place that you love.”

 

Cheryl rubbed her temples. “Mmkay.” She says weakly. 

 

“Don’t be mad.”

 

“I’m not mad—“

 

“You’re disappointed. I know.”

 

She does it again, counting mentally from seven before releasing four through her nose. Toni steals the tray from her, setting it safely on the bed. She reaches out to Cheryl, whose arms remained crossed in front of her. 

 

“Look I know I haven’t been present lately and I’m sorry. It wouldn’t be for much longer, I promise. I just trying to prove myself in the business.” 

 

Cheryl fought the urge to roll her eyes. Not another argument again this morning, please. No matter how many times she’s told her she doesn’t need to prove herself, Toni never listens. Maybe it’s a serious matter concerning Toni’s emotional health that they really need to sit down and discuss. Plus, Toni’s making an effort, she’s trying. She doesn’t want this too. “Okay.” She tugs her wife’s shirt, pulling her closer to her body. “Just...be careful. Okay?”

 

Toni takes Cheryl’s hands into her own. “I am, baby. I am.” She pecks each hand. “See you tonight?”

 

Cheryl nods at once before her lips were being pecked by her wife. They pulled away just as they felt the brunette’s phone vibrating in her pocket. And this time, the urge to roll her eyes felt too strong to stop. 

 

“I need to go. I’ll see you tonight.” Toni says, her legs already moving to the direction of the door. “I love you. Don’t be mad. You look beautiful.”

 

And just like that, Cheryl was alone again, with a tray of unfinished breakfast food and her bothering thoughts. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


There was a loud pounding in Cheryl’s head. Her day consisted of listening to her professor in business ethics rant about codes and laws for about four fucking hours, and texting with Jason about the guest list for Nana Rose’s eighty fifth. He keeps on asking her to confirm about their relatives and business associates like she even remembers half of their names. She couldn’t care less about the attendees and she’s sure her Nana won’t either. So she simply just says yes to all of them. 

 

What she was looking forward to is her dinner date with Toni. The brunette had asked her to simply wait for her at the university lobby and she’ll pick her up as soon as she’s finished with her meetings. 

 

That was an hour ago. 

 

Cheryl shook her head in disbelief. Her class ended two hours ago, and she really really wants to snap at Jason for blowing up her phone now. She’s the only one there and the security guard keeps on giving her judging looks. Her phone kept vibrating on her lap, but as long as it’s not Toni, she couldn’t be bothered. 

 

This is just really not her day. 

 

She reminds herself all the time that her feelings and her thoughts are not anyone’s responsibility but her own, not even Toni’s. But fuck, she really does need her wife right now. 

 

Thirty minutes of impatient sighs and repressed tears after, she sees the woman she’s been waiting for enter the lobby of Highsmith, a bouquet of red roses on one arm. 

 

“Baby, I’m so sorry. The meeting took longer than expected.” She jogged closer to where the redhead was seated. She leans down to kiss Cheryl, and the redhead turning her head to dodge it was something that she’d anticipated, but still, it made her wince. 

 

Cheryl doesn’t look at her.

 

“Cheryl?”

 

Toni calls once and slowly, Cheryl tilts her head. That sight alone was enough to shatter Toni’s heart in little pieces, because Cheryl is still smiling at her. Her eyes looked sad, like they’re about to cry, but her beautiful lips were curled into an equally beautiful smile. 

 

“Let’s go?” She says feebly, taking Toni’s hand in hers before taking the bouquet from her. “How was it?”

 

“It was good, yeah. Boring to be honest. But I wanna hear about your day.” Toni says, tucking a loose strand on Cheryl’s face. 

 

She’s here. For one brief moment she thought she will never come but she’s here. And she wants to know about her day, despite having an awful day herself. 

 

And so she loses it. “It was awful. And I miss you. And you’re busy. And I get it. But it’s just unfair…” Cheryl whines, setting the flowers down first before pulling Toni into a hug. 

 

Toni holds her in her arms. “Okay, tell me more.” She says while combing her wife’s hair with her fingers. 

 

“Jason keeps on bugging me about Nana’s eight fifth…” Cheryl sobs. “And don’t get me wrong, I love my Nana. But it’s just too much. And my professor was ugly…” Toni suppresses a snort. “And I had to stare at his face for hours. And I had a really horrible day. And I miss you. I missed you so much and I thought you weren’t going to come.” 

 

Today’s been especially loud. 

 

“I’m sorry I gave you the idea, baby. But I’m here now.” Toni was suddenly reminded of her wife’s neglect issues. Cheryl was so used to not being the first choice. She grew up in Jason’s shadows. But when Toni came, Cheryl came first, to Toni at least. And she never wanted her wife to feel like second choice again. 

 

“Toni, be careful, okay?”

 

“I am, love.”

 

“But promise me…” The poor redhead was still sobbing. “Promise me, please. As soon as you see something suspicious, you’re getting the hell out.”

 

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Toni pulls away, meeting her wife’s gaze as she tucks a finger under her chin. “Nothing’s going to happen.” Toni says in full confidence. “And Jason’s got my back. So please, don’t worry yourself any more baby.” Toni says with all the love that she could muster. “Your father is a good man.” 

 

Cheryl wanted to protest. She knows her father is far from a good man. But if he’s treating Toni properly that she thinks he’s anything but an evil mob boss, and also finally after years of undeserved hate, she’s not going to take it away from her. 

 

“What do you say we eat at your favorite spot? I’m starving. And then I’m going to buy you ice cream after.” Toni gives her an encouraging smile. “Sound good? And then we can come home and I’ll cuddle you for as long as you want?”

 

This was all she ever wanted, crashing into the love of her life’s arms after a long and stressful day. She nods eagerly. 

 

Maybe they will be okay. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk guys, i’m one sad bean. 
> 
> my life is as shitty as my writing here. Lol lemme know.


	8. come back when you can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> drama dun dun duuuun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m sorry i haven’t updated in a while. i haven’t been in the right mental state to right. i’m graduating college soon. and then my mental health kind of deflated. but uh...here’s a chapter.

They’re not okay. 

 

Somehow in someway, Cheryl knew that. They’ve never been so distant. And so she stays up on nights Toni gets off from work a little earlier than five in the morning just to look at her sleeping face. 

 

She looks exhausted no doubt. But also, happy. 

 

She would trace the brunette’s features, her index fingers ghosting above her eyebrows, to her soft eyelids, and then her cute little nose to her plump pink lips. She’ll try to even her breathing just to listen to the soft snores Toni is making. 

 

And it’s been so quiet between the two of them. Too quiet sometimes. But not as quiet as Toni is with her father. 

 

She does what Jason tells her to do, breathe in seven and release for four whenever Clifford finds ways to keep Toni in his study. She would bite the insides of her cheek whenever she’d ask the brunette what they’d talked about and Toni would just wave her off. 

 

She’s scared and if this continues, she might not be able to hide it anymore. 

 

Things are going so well with her family. Even Penelope seemed to be warming up towards her, and surprisingly enough, even to Toni too. She even took the two of them to shopping, which was weird and uncomfortable because her mother never bothered to take her before. 

 

She fights the confusion in her gut, but for some reason the more she does the more frustrating it felt. She wants to believe her parents are changing for good. She really fucking wants to. The acceptance and love that they are giving her and her wife right now is what all she wanted growing up. 

 

There’s a sharp sting on her eyes, and she hated crying like this. She used to feel comfortable waking Toni up whenever this happens. But for the first time since they got together, that comfort and trust seem to be withering away.

 

Toni’s tired. 

 

And she is too. 

 

She’ll just try to sleep it off. 

 

* * *

  
  


“Is she not answering again?” 

 

Cheryl turns to look at Sweet Pea. He had one hand stuck in his pocket and the other one was holding a beer. She gives him as small smile, as well as a firm shake of the head. 

 

“You’ve been excusing yourself all night, red.” He waits for a few seconds. “And do you know she bailed on me and Fangs yesterday?” He adjusts his stance and Cheryl tries to focus on what he was saying despite the loud commotion inside. “She mentioned working for your father…”

 

Cheryl licks her lips, her fingers casually toying with her phone. Toni’s not answering her texts either. And it will be the first time the brunette will miss their regular dinner thing with all their friends. It just so happened that it was Veronica and Sweet Pea’s turn to host. And so she understands why the boy is pissed. 

 

“I have a slight idea on what is going on. But I figured I should ask you first.” His tone wasn’t accusing, not at all. He was still polite despite the intensity in his eyes. 

 

“What...do you wanna know?” Cheryl asks weakly. She doesn’t blame Sweet Pea for the suspicion. In fact, she’s relieved someone besides herself is concerned about Toni. 

 

“What’s happening, Cheryl? Are you guys okay?”

 

The redhead’s breath hitched and she tries to avoid his gaze because she wants to give Sweet Pea the answer that will make his worries go away. Truth is, she doesn’t know what happened or if they’re okay. They’re still living under the same house and sleeping in the bed, but they rarely see each other. 

 

Toni gets off of work mostly at 5 am, some days even 6, when Cheryl has to prepare for school. She only gets to talk to her wife through text. She’s tried to confront Jason about it when she sees him while they take care of the preparations for Nana Rose’s eighty fifth. And she wants to be mad at Jason, or her father for taking away their time together. But whenever she hears how good Toni’s doing, or sees the contented look on her wife’s face even as she sleeps, all her apprehensions turn into nothing. 

 

“She’s going to be here. She promised.” Is all she could say. 

 

Sweet Pea took a swig on his beer before pressing his lips into a thin line and nodding. “Okay.”

 

* * *

 

A black SUV parked right outside the two storey house, and despite the chitter chatter inside, the loud screeching of the tires from the forceful brake echoed around almost the whole block. Toni arrived a little after the dessert was served, carrying a huge box in her hand. 

 

The brunette hurriedly made her way inside, all the talking dying down as soon as she stepped foot inside the crowded living room. She squinted, meeting the pairs of eyes staring at her one by one, until she met Cheryl’s. She immediately detected the look of surprise in her wife eyes, something that she does not feel good about. 

 

“Guys?” Her legs started moving towards Cheryl’s direction. She walked closer to the redhead who was sandwiched between Josie and Veronica and leaned down to peck her lips. “Sorry I’m late I had to stop by Miette’s to get dessert.” She smiled, giving the box that contained Cheryl’s favorite cake a little wiggle. 

 

Cheryl shook her head lightly. “You made it…”

 

“Of course I did. I promised, didn’t I?”

 

“Right.” 

 

Just in time, Sweet Pea and Fangs enter the living room, immediately halting as soon as they noticed Toni. 

 

“If it isn’t Toni Blossom…” the taller serpents says, folding his arms in front of his chest. 

 

Toni rolled her eyes at her friend’s childishness. She was late and it’s on her but he didn’t have to do that. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t get off work in time yesterday. My phone died so I didn’t get the chance to text you guys too. I’m here now though.”

 

She sees Sweet Pea shake his head disappointingly while Fangs looked down. All eyes were on them and it’s like she could almost feel the tension making everyone uncomfortable. He extends his neck, adjusting his head to get a better view of his driveway. 

 

“Nice car you got, Tiny…”

 

Toni clenches her jaw. “Yeah? Thanks.” She shrugged, turning around to meet Cheryl’s nervous smile, not wanting to stoop down his level. 

 

But…Sweet Pea knows exactly how to push her buttons. The taller serpent stepped closer. “New car, new clothes, what’s next? New friends? New wife?”

 

Panicked sparked Cheryl’s gut, as she stared down at Toni’s fist balling. It wouldn’t be the first time these two got on each other’s nerves. But even then, it will always just seem playful. This time though, is an exception because she could actually see Toni getting borderline pissed at Sweet Pea. 

 

“What the hell is your problem, Sweet Pea?”

 

She immediately exchanged looks with Ronnie, who was also fast on her feet, putting a slightly restraining hand on her boyfriend’s arm, the same time she also got on her feet. 

 

“Let’s go outside, babe?” Veronica said firmly. Sweet Pea side eyes her, his stance firmer than his girlfriend’s. But Veronica is not having it, squeezing the police officer’s bicep tighter. “ _ Outside. Now.”  _

 

Toni remained eye contact, a proud smirk smacked right across her lips as she watched Veronica escort her agitated boyfriend out of his own house.

 

* * *

 

“Are you okay?” Cheryl asks her wife as she sat on their bed. 

 

Toni turns her head, giving Cheryl a sheepish smile and a light shake of the head. “Yeah, babe. Never better.” She steps closer to Cheryl until their knees hit. “Are  _ you  _ okay?”

 

She tilts her head higher, a loud no it itching to come out from the pit of her stomach. Sweet Pea’s outburst was unnecessary no doubt, but she knows the boy has a point. So she tries to look deeper into her wife’s eyes, tries to find the Toni that she fell in love with and married. But this Toni, the one with barely noticeable pink hair, dressed in signature clothing, is brushing her cheek and giving her a reassuring smile before she could and it’s lost cause. So she nods. 

 

“I love you.” She whispers. 

 

“I love you too.” Toni giggled. “How are the preparations for Nana Rose’s eighty fifth going?”

 

Cheryl fought the urge to groan. She’s barely participating if she’s being honest. Being in a room with her mother and Jason is quite too much for her, gives her quite the headache. 

 

“It’s going.” 

 

Toni giggles again. “You’re cute when you’re annoyed.”

 

“I’m glad one of us is finding this amusing. I just really wanna be done with it.”

 

“Well, I’m looking forward to it.” Toni says, casually toying the collar of the redhead’s shirt. “I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of your family. And your Dad says there’s going to be some huge announcement so…I’m thrilled to find out what it is.”

 

Cheryl takes a breath and tries not to focus on Toni actually meeting the rest of her crazy family. Instead, she focuses on the thought that they’re talking. They’re talking again. And Toni is here. She’s here. And her fingers are quite getting bold with the buttons of her shirt. 

She hums in agreement. It’s been  _ so fucking  _ long…

 

“Are you tired?” 

 

She couldn’t miss how Toni’s voice got an octave lower. Fuck, she missed this. And despite what happened tonight, she believes something good could still happen.

 

Cheryl shakes her head again, biting her lip while maintaining eye contact, her smirk growing bigger and bigger as each button gets popped open. 

 

She tugs the brunette down, her hand tightening around petite waist. She could recall exactly how long they went without sex and not that they’re not trying but it’s also fucking hard not living on their own house. Moving back to Thornhill has definitely taken a toll on their sex life. 

 

“How long has it been…” Toni whispers as she kisses down the redhead’s jaw. 

 

“Too long…”

 

“Is the door locked?” She stops shortly when her lips got to Cheryl’s throat, but the redhead couldn’t care less as her back hit the mattress pulling Toni straight on top of her, their lips meeting in a hungry kiss. Fuck the fucking door.

 

She began undoing the button of Toni’s white shirt, her hands dipping immediately under the cups of the brunette’s bra. She smirked at the breathy gasp that escaped Toni’s lips as her thumb flicked her nipple. 

 

“Fuck, I missed you.” Toni says, yanking the material of Cheryl’s shirt away from the redhead’s body. 

 

She was making a quick work of her wife’s jeans when with ever so perfect timing, there was a not so subtle knock on the door. The brunette’s mind immediately panicked, sucking a breath and snapping head to the direction of the door. She really couldn’t recall if they’d lock it and she was already halfway through standing up when Cheryl gripped her arm tighter. 

 

“Baby, I need—“

 

“I need you.” 

 

She pulls her down for another bruising kiss and with enough strength, she has successfully flip them over, which she knows pisses Toni off but well, she’s gotta do what she’s gotta do. 

 

Toni’s head tilted at the sound of another knock, which gave Cheryl is slightly thankful for because it gave her better access to the brunette’s neck

 

She’s determined to do this tonight. Whoever the fuck is knocking will go away. She told Toni to ignore it, while doubling down her efforts to keep the brunette from losing interest. But the knocking persisted, growing only louder and not only could she feel Toni losing interest but she was losing it too. 

 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck it. Fuck them. Whoever this is, is going to get a serious earful. 

 

With one last lick of her tongue on Toni’s upper lip, Cheryl pulled back. “God dammit!”

 

And although a significant amount of blood that belonged to her brain had traveled south to rest in her groin for the past like, five minutes of their tiny makeout and grope session, Toni was able to hold Cheryl back, placing a gentle hand on her fuming wife’s arm and setting her aside to stand up and answer the door herself. 

 

She managed to get all her buttons done before unlocking the door that was (thankfully) locked, and revealing Felix with a stern look on his face. She tries to conceal him, because she knows Cheryl is ready to kill. 

 

“Who is it?” She hears the redhead ask. 

 

She gives the man a questioning look. “What is it?”

 

“Mr. Blossom would like to see you in his study.”

 

“Now?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can this wait?” She tries to keep her voice down. 

 

“Would you like me to ask Mr. Blossom to wait?”

 

Toni clenched her jaw, taking a deep breath before telling the capo to give her a second and closing the door. She makes her way back to the bed, where Cheryl is sitting, waiting impatiently for her. 

 

“Baby, don’t hate me but I gotta go.”

 

“What?!” The redhead exclaims. 

 

“Your dad needs me in his study. Could be important.”

 

Cheryl scoffs. “What could be more important than this?!” The redhead said gesturing towards her half naked body. 

 

Toni chuckles, which Cheryl rolled her eyes at. “I’m going to be back as soon as I can and I promise I’ll rock your world.” She runs her fingers through red hair, gently massaging her wife’s scalp to help calm her down. 

 

“I dunno. You leaving me for my father isn’t exactly turning me on, Toni.” Cheryl deadpans

 

“Well, then raincheck? Tomorrow after school? We could make a date night for it? When do you get off?”

 

“Never at the rate we’re going.”

 

Toni giggles again. “I love you.” She says, already making her way out. 

 

She hears a muffled ‘I hate you’ before closing the door and yelling back ‘No you don’t’. She makes a face at the shit eating grin Felix is giving her while she follows him to the two large wooden doors of Clifford Blossom’s office. 

 

He opens the door for her, and Toni makes her way in unaware of what was waiting for her. 

 

Inside was Penelope Blossom, sitting on a couch, downing what Toni was sure of was an expensive bottle of wine, and Clifford. The Blossom patriarch stood with his back facing Toni, but turned around as soon as he heard the door closing.

 

“Mr. and Mrs. Blossom...is everything alright?” She asks discreetly, taking a few shy steps towards the couple.

 

“Antoinette, I’m happy you could join us tonight. Sit down.” Clifford says, motioning towards the seat next to Penelope. 

 

Toni hesitated, her way of asking for her mother-in-law’s permission. But when Penelope shrugged, Toni took the initiative to sit down. It was only then that she noticed that there was almost like a mountain of photos haphazardly thrown over the large mahogany desk. And she couldn’t help the little smile on her heart when she realized it was of Cheryl, when the redhead was younger, and some were of the twins. 

 

She takes one photo of Cheryl on one hand, unable to help herself. Her lips immediately stretched into a bright smile at the sight of the younger version of her wife, carrying two trophies and sporting the same bright smile on her face. Her gaze falls on the others and then towards the man standing across from her.

 

Clifford chuckles at the confused look on the brunette’s face. “That’s Cheryl at seven. Chess and scrabble tournament.”

 

Toni nods fondly. She knows her wife was a bright kid, knows that she had a 4.0 GPA in high school and knows just how talented and gifted Cheryl is.

 

Mr. Blossom picks out another one handing it to Toni, with may be a five or six year old Cheryl covered in green, blue and brown paint, a canvas bigger than her on the background. “This is probably one of my favorites.” He says. “She’s around four or five here but look,” He points toward the landscape that was made by the redhead, “look at that.”

 

“She’s...amazing, I know.”

 

Clifford gives her another smile and this time, she really couldn’t help her confusion. 

 

“Why are you showing these to me, Mr. Blossom?”

 

She watches him put down the empty glass of wine before giving his wife a knowing smile. Penelope hands him a folder, which he took one look at before handing it to Toni.

 

The brunette tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear, blinking the confusion out of her system. She opens the folder and tries to focus on the content. “What--? Sir, what is this?”

 

“Your own photo studio.”

 

_ What? _

 

“Cheryl has expressed her eagerness in your interest in photography ever since you two got here and you know I’m all about making my girl happy.”

 

“What?” She repeats audibly.

 

But Clifford could only smile at her.

 

“A-Are you sure?”

“All it needs is a  _ couple  _ of your signature on a few documents and it’s all yours.” He says gently, allowing Penelope to pour him another glass of the wine.

 

“W-What is--? I don’t understand.” 

 

She watches him sip the alcohol intently, watches the hint of twistedness in his smile as he reaches for another folder that Penelope handed him. He checked the document briefly before throwing it on the desk, missing Toni’s face by a hairline.

 

The brunette reaches for the piece of document on top of the pile of her wife’s photos and opened it slowly. And this time, she knows exactly what type of document it was.

 

_ Annulment papers.  _

 

“We just need your signature over those and you’re free to go, with a fully functional studio of your own.”

 

And Toni tries to focus on how those words sound altogether while the piece of document fell limply on her lap.

 

“It’ll be like your marriage never happened.” He says, taking a seat on the swivel chair. “Miss Topaz,” He called her like that again, “You don’t honestly think we’ll accept our daughter’s marriage to... _ Southside scum,  _ did you?”

 

She could feel her fingers tremble, crumpling the piece of paper on her lap.  _ Stupid, stupid, stupid.  _

 

“Cheryl has far more potential for you.” His voice was sharp enough to cut deep into Toni’s skin. “I know all I about you, Miss Topaz. I know all about your kind, the place that your from...your family history…” He trails off. “We know your parents didn’t just die from an accident.” 

 

Penelope gives him another folder. And at this point, Toni could feel her whole body trembling with anger. She looks at him straight in the eye, a tear rolling down her face.

 

“Oh you don’t know? Well let me tell you a story, see it’s a good one…” He chuckles disturbingly before propping himself on the table. “One night, one Christopher Topaz had a violent temper tantrum, whether it’s from the lack of cocaine supply or from the eviction notice that the landlord keeps putting up on their door, we don’t know. But this time, your mother actually had the balls to shoot him before he could hurt you. And it wasn’t long until she pointed the same gun to her head...”

 

Toni was panting. Her head was spinning.  _ What?  _

 

“Your lying…” She mutters, trying to conceal the tremble in her voice. 

“See for yourself, my dear.” He shoves the folder onto her lap and she couldn’t help but flinch. She doesn’t even have the courage to look over it, because she knows she will lose it.  _ Why did her granpa lie to her? What is happening? _

 

“You’re trembling, dear.” Penelope comments, placing a hand on her wrist.

 

_ “Get your hands off me…”  _ Toni says through gritted teeth. “Get it off me or I swear to god…”

 

“You know…” Clifford starts. “You should get your anger in check, Miss Topaz.” He chuckles again. “Oh but wait, yes. You are your father’s daughter. And one day, when you’re barely making ends meet, you are going to try and hurt our daughter. And we can’t have that, can we?”

 

“I will  _ never  _ hurt Cheryl…”

 

“Right, let’s say that. But can you really stomach pulling her down? Miss Topaz, for the past five years, I have been witness to you constantly dragging our daughter down. You’re like dead weight that she can never shake. But something tells me you’re aware of this already.” He clears his throat. “On Nana’s eighty fifth birthday, she’s going to announce that she’s retiring from the board and relinquish her seat to none other than our precious girl.” He states casually. “And...And she’s going to hold big numbers. So let me break it down to words that you’ll fully understand.”

 

He scoots forward, their faces only a feet from each other.

 

“She’s going to have the life that she’s always deserved, Antoinette. The life before you...Her true life, with us...her family.”

 

Toni watches as he gets up again to retrieve a pen only to dump it on her lap. 

 

“Do her a favour, Toni. Sign the papers. Set her free, and you can start on your own.” 

 

Toni wanted to stab that sick smile off his face. Like, watching her knife go through Clifford Blossom’s face could be the most satisfying experience of her life right now. And the encouraging look on his face, god...she wants to throw him. 

 

“Think about it.”

 

For the first time since arriving Toni felt a strong surge of courage running through her veins. What was she thinking? Did she really think the Blossoms could change for the better? It’s like getting a cold bucket of water dumped over her head, waking up from a long period of sleep paralysis. 

 

Toni rises up, leveling her face to his. “ _ Fuck. You.  _ I’m getting Cheryl, we’re getting out of here. You are monsters and we were stupid enough to believe that you really wanted your daughter back because you love her. Cheryl deserves more than you!”

 

She started turning around after forcefully shoving the documents back to Mr. Blossom. 

 

“Come on, Toni…” He breathes out. “You are not that heartless. Deep down I know you love Cheryl. And if you get out of that door right now and tell her just what happened here tonight, it’s going to crush her. Don’t you think she’s had enough? Don’t you think…” He steps closer again, “...she’s suffered enough in your hands?”

 

Each word felt like sharp knives carving her skin. Did she really ruin Cheryl? Did she really made her suffer? 

 

Toni’s head was messing her. And it’s loud. So loud. She wanted to self destruct and get the hell out of there before she explodes. So she runs as fast as her tiny legs could take her, running towards the unknown. All she knows is she has to get out and fast...no time to show her weakness in front of them. 

 

What they said about their parents...it isn’t true, is it? 

 

As her throat closes, her legs slow down. Her lungs feel numb in her chest and she doesn’t look back...at least not for tonight. 

 

She’s going to get her answers and she’s going to get it tonight. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


“Clifford.” 

 

He looks at his panicked wife, putting a hand on her shoulders to halt her pacing. 

 

“Do you think she will sign it?”

 

“She will sign it.” He tries to say in full confidence. 

 

Their attentions were soon taken away by a soft calling from behind the partly closed doors. “Daddy?”

 

Clifford puts on a facade. “Pumpkin?”

 

Cheryl steps into the study, wearing a red silk robe. “Where’s Toni?”

 

“She left, darling.”

 

“What? What do you mean she left?”

 

“She left.”

 

“Wh-What do you mean? What did you do?”

 

“I didn’t do anything, sweetie. She just left. For good.”

 

“What did you do?!” 

 

“She lied to you, Cheryl. She lied to all of us.”

 

Cheryl stares down at the compilation of papers her father has handed her, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She doesn’t understand. Did Toni really…?

 

Clifford gives her a sad nod. 

 

Toni...left. She’s gone. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m sorry. i’m so sorry. lol and i’m sorry if this chapter sucked. Leave comments. But be kind to me. i’m soft. And i’m baby.


	9. hold on, i still want you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the aftermath. some cute things in between and in the end. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! thank fuck i updated this thing huhhh. i finally got the inspi and the mental courage to write again. i know i’ve been a shitty writer lately. but ya know, thank you to everyone who constantly bugs me on twitter to write this. 
> 
> so without further ado

Another loud thud elicited a groan from Sweet Pea and a muffled snort from Toni, as the two serpents maneuvered to get the tiny brunette into the old apartment that she used to share with her wife. 

 

“Thanks for the help, Fangs.” The taller officer grunted. 

 

“You’re a big dude, just carry her like you used to.” Fangs retorted. 

 

In one go and with a little protest from Toni, Sweet Pea sweeps his drunk best friend off her feet and props her up on his shoulders. He carries her across the living room to the only bedroom, and deposits her carefully on the bed. 

 

Toni sprawls her limbs across the bed, her vision blurry and her head spinning like there is an actual earthquake. And despite this, she doesn’t miss how the bed and their entire room smells like Cheryl. She lays on her stomach, pressing her face into the sheets to sniff and indulge more on her wife’s scent. 

 

She lets out a tiny wimper. 

 

“I’m so sorry, Tiny.” Fangs says softly, sitting down on the mattress next to his friend while Sweet Pea looks at them sympathetically, his arms folded on his chest while his head shakes disapprovingly. 

 

When he’d gotten the call from Birdy that Toni was at the Wyrm slandering her kidneys, he knew that it has something to do with Cheryl immediately. He’s not stupid and he can read those two like an open book. He’s been around them for two long, has been witness to their story. And it absolutely breaks his heart that they have to go through with this. 

 

He doesn’t know exactly what’s going on and he’s keen to find out but he also knows he’s not getting anything out of Toni like this. His brows furrowed at the sight of the brunette whimpering quietly. 

 

“Fuck this, I’m calling Cheryl.” He announces, already taking his phone from his pocket. 

 

“No! Don’t call…” Toni mutters quite inaudibly along with a bunch of words that neither Sweet Pea nor Fangs got. 

 

He looks at Fangs for approval, and he gave him a short nod for an answer. 

 

Sweet Pea takes a deep breath before dialling Cheryl’s phone number 

 

* * *

  
  


_ “Baby!” _

 

_ Toni could never be mistaken. She knows exactly who that voice belonged to, so she stops her tracks as her face light up with the smile everyone knows only Cheryl can put to on her face.  _

 

_ She lets out a soft giggle as Cheryl’s front collided with her back and pale arms wrap tightly around her waist.  _

 

_ “Why didn’t you tell me you won the contest?” Cheryl squeals, turning Toni around in her arms. “I had to look at school paper to find out.”  _

 

_ She didn’t sound mad at all. She was thrilled and by the soft chuckles that come out with each and every word, Toni could tell Cheryl was ecstatic for her.  _

 

_ “Well I was waiting to tell you until after school with a milkshake at Pop’s.” Toni says. “But uh, this is good too, I guess.” She adjusts the straps of her backpack so she could wrap her arms around the redhead’s back as well.  _

 

_ “Baby, you did so good. I’m so proud of you.” Cheryl giggles, tightening her hold around Toni’s waist. “You are going to be the best photographer in the whole world, and I, your humble muse.” _

 

_ Well yeah, Toni is extremely talented and everyone knows that but she knows she couldn’t have won without the most delicate work of art that is Cheryl Blossom, her subject. _

 

_ “I love how you have so much faith in me.”  _

 

_ “Well, are you actually surprised? Your work is beautiful, babe.” Cheryl places a finger under her chin. “How about that milkshake later after school? On me.” _

 

_ “Baby, I should be the one buying you a milkshake!” Toni protested, not caring whether the entire hall hears their conversation.   _

 

_ “It’ll be like a congratulatory gift, mon amour.” The redhead encourages.  _

 

_ “No, I insist. Please, Cher.” _

 

_ Cheryl gives her girlfriend a smile before shrugging.  _

 

_ “Let’s go.” _

  
  


Toni winced at the massive pounding in her head. She puts two fingers on her temples, rubbing them aggressively before turning her head over to read 4:56pm on the alarm on their bedside table. 

 

She swallows dryly.  _ Oh shit.  _ It’s slowly coming back to her now. The very reason why she was wasted and is nursing a hell of a broken heart. The Blossoms. What they told her about her parents. The annulment papers. And... _ fuck,  _ her leaving Cheryl at Thornhill. 

 

How did it become so screwed up? 

 

Tears started pooling in her eyes and she could feel her throat closing up. It was then that she noticed the glass of water sitting behind the alarm clock, along with two advils. Sweet Pea and Fangs must’ve left them for her. 

 

She finishes the entire glass in one go, sitting down to try and calm herself down. But the more she tries, the more her emotions get out of control again. Especially now that she’s staring at their wedding photo hanging on the wall opposite their bed. 

 

Memories of her proposal started to flood her mind. 

 

_ “Fuck baby, that was amazing.” Toni pants, laying on her stomach next to her girlfriend who was also desperately trying to catch her breath. “You’re always amazing.” _

 

_ Cheryl gives her a small smile before shutting her eyes off completely.  _

 

_ And Toni doesn’t miss the look of sadness in her girlfriend’s expression. Years and years with the redhead gave her enough training to know when she’s real happy or just faking happy. It’s a skill that she’s proud she’s mastered because breaking down Cheryl Blossom’s walls isn’t exactly easy.  _

 

_ “What’s wrong?” _

 

_ “Hmm?” _

 

_ “Something’s wrong.”  _

 

_ “Baby, what?” Cheryl tries.  _

 

_ “I can sense it. Tell me.” _

 

_ The redhead bites the inside of her cheeks. “Nothing, babe. I’m just really tired of, you know…” _

 

_ Toni furrows her eyebrows, trying with everything that she has to understand which Cheryl was referring to.  _

 

_ “The tree tapping ceremony is one week away. Dad said last year that my turn is coming, but of course, mother steps in and insists that JJ does it again this year. She says it’s important because all of our investors will come and he needs to look good.” She narrates.  _

 

_ “Baby, I’m so sorry.” Toni snakes an arm around Cheryl’s bare waist, pulling her closer so she could tuck her head under the redhead’s chin. “Your parents are dickheads. You’re literally here studying, busting your ass off for a degree that they literally forced on you and they have the audacity to do that to you.” _

 

_ “It’s fine, Toni. I’ve accepted it a long time ago.” She lets out another sad chuckle. “It just sucks.” _

 

_ “I know baby.” _

 

_ “My family sucks.” Cheryl exhales, running her fingers over pink locks. “I wish I was born into a different family.” _

 

_ Toni’s heart aches for her girl. Oh how she wants to make her girlfriend’s wish come true. Of only she could…. _

 

_ Light bulb.  _

 

_ “Marry me.” She says without even blinking and thinking twice.  _

 

_ Cheryl coughs. “What?!” _

 

_ Toni untangles herself from Cheryl, sitting down on the bed on her knees.  “Marry me.” She declares louder this time and much clearer.  _

 

_ “Toni…”  _

 

_ “Your last name sucks, baby. Your family sucks and I...wanna change that. Let’s change that.” Toni states, pulling Cheryl up so the redhead’s back rested against the headboard. “I mean, if you let me...we’ll change that.” _

 

_ And before Toni knows it her head is falling to the floor with a loud thud, their bodies pressing against each other as Cheryl tackles her into a hug.  _

 

_ “Ow!” Toni exclaims.  _

 

_ “Are you serious?!” Cheryl exclaims louder, not even caring about their current position.  _

 

_ “Is that a yes?” Toni smirks, running her hands down Cheryl’s ass before squeezing them tightly and scratching her nails against the pale skin.  _

 

_ Cheryl pouted. “You haven’t even asked.” _

 

_ “Well, I don’t have a ring…and I’d get on one knee but you’re literally on top of me.” _

 

_ The redhead huffs impatiently, landing a playful slap on the brunette’s hip. “Jesus fucking Christ, Toni! Just ask already!”  _

 

_ Toni gives her a smile that sent a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. And she just smiled at her for a while, amused at the redhead’s impatience. She always thought pissed Cheryl is cute. Especially if she’s just being playful.  _

 

_ “Toni!” _

 

_ “Okay, geez. I’m really doing this?” Toni laughed at her girlfriend’s gaping mouth. “Okay, okay sorry.” She stares directly at the redhead’s eyes. “Cheryl Marjorie, you make me do crazy things like this. It will be an absolute pleasure to call you my wife. Will you marry me?” _

 

_ The redhead lets out what Toni thought to be the loudest, most cheerful screech she’s ever heard in her entire life. And then her face is getting peppered by kisses...by the lips that she loves so much. And even though they’re in an awkward position, she couldn’t even bring it in herself to complain.  _

 

_ Cheryl Blossom wants to marry her.  _

 

_ Fuck.  _

 

_ She just asked the love of her life to marry her.  _

 

_ What?! _

 

_ “That’s the yes, r—?” _

 

_ Cheryl’s lips landed on hers before she could even finish, in the softest but giggliest kiss they ever had.  _

 

_ “I love you.” The redhead whispered against her lips as she continued giving Toni small pecks.  _

 

_ “Baby, is that the yes or—? _

 

_ Cheryl smacks her lips down on hers again, loving the feel of Toni’s muffled words. “Shh…” She hovers her index finger over the brunette’s lips. “It’s the yes, mon coeur. Now make love to me.” _

 

_ Toni grins widely. It’s something that they should’ve talked about first, something that she should’ve prepared for. But all the red flags and sirens inside her head does not seem to matter, because Cheryl said yes. It’s all that matters.  _

 

_ They can talk later.  _

 

The brunette tries to shake the memory away. It only hurts because she’s...no, is she really considering it? The annulment papers and Clifford Blossom’s words continue to ring in her head. But the more that she tries to push it down, the more the pounding in her head gets intense, like she’s going to explode anytime soon. 

 

She realizes she hasn’t taken the advil yet, and she’s out of water. So with all her might, she presses her toes on the ground and shifts her entire weight on her feet, hoping that she won’t get dizzy. 

 

The first few steps were lousy but she gets the hang of it. She doesn’t even remember how long she’s been drinking. All she remembers is visiting her Grandpa and parents’ grave holding an already half empty bottle of vodka and then drinking more at the Wyrme. 

 

Toni flips the door knob a few times but it won’t budge. Fuck, the shitty thing is broken again and it makes Toni teary eyed again. She has nothing but an alcohol for a depressant running through her veins and so she cries it out. She’s thristy and she’s got a shitty life so she cries it out. 

 

_ “What are you doing?” Cheryl snorted at her new wife’s stance.  _

 

_ Toni was crouching, her arms behind her back giving Cheryl an encouraging eyebrow.  _

 

_ “What do you mean, what am I doing? We just got married and this is our new home and I have to carry you inside.” Toni chuckles, patting her back. “Hop on.” _

 

_ “If I’m going to be carried, I’m going to be carried bridal style and nothing else.” _

 

_ Toni raises her eyebrows again. “You know what, fine.”  _

 

_ “Wait, wait.” Cheryl interrupted.  _

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ “I changed my mind.” She bites her lower lip, looking at Toni and her short white dress. “I wanna carry you.” _

 

_ The brunette snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous, Cher. I’m carrying you.” _

 

_ “No!” The redhead protested.  _

 

_ “This is our apartment and you are my wife. I’m carrying you.”  _

 

_ Toni was already putting an arm behind Cheryl’s knees when the redhead swatted it away. “Antoinette Topaz, you let me carry you or you’re not getting anywhere near this body tonight.” _

 

_ “Mrs. Topaz.” Toni tries to say without smiling, but ultimately failing. “You’re Mrs. Topaz.” _

 

_ “You’re Mrs. Topaz either!” _

 

_ “But…” Toni grins widely. “You’re Mrs. Cheryl Topaz. You’re fighting me for the first time as Mrs. Cheryl Topaz.” _

 

_ Cheryl’s jaw flung open. “Excuse you, I am not fighting you. If I’m fighting you, you’ll know.” _

 

_ “Baby,” Toni says convincingly. “My wife…” She added. “Please stop being difficult and let me carry you into our new home. Our crappy new home.”  _

 

_ The brunette gazes over to the locked door of their apartment. It’s not the first time that Cheryl’s seeing it. In fact, they closed on the deed together. It has minor issues with doors that won’t lock and toilets that don’t have an automatic flush but it’s okay. It’s theirs and it’s okay.  _

 

_ “We have a home.” Cheryl repeats. “We’re married.” _

 

_ “We fucking are.” Toni tugs her wife closer. “You’re my fucking wife and this here is our fucking home.” She presses a soft kiss on Cheryl’s shoulder.  _

 

_ Truth be told, even Toni could not believe it. They actually fucking did it. They got married, only inviting their circle of friends and Jason in their family. Despite everything that they went through, with the Blossoms actually disowning their own daughter, they’re here...in front of their apartment, wedding rings on their finger as Mrs and Mrs.  _

 

_ And boy, does it feel great.  _

 

_ “You say fuck a lot, baby.” Cheryl states, wrapping her arms around Toni’s shoulder lazily.  _

 

_ “Oh I know you secretly love it.” _

 

_ “It’s no secret.” _

 

_ “Fine then. You love it when I say fuck. It does something to you.” _

 

_ The sexual tension is thick. It has been ever since she saw Toni in that short white dress. And she could only hold back for so long.  _

 

_ “So are we going to fuck or not?” Cheryl challenges, to which Toni raised her to. Truth is, she liked when Cheryl says it too. Something about how it sounds falling from her favorite pair of lips.  _

 

_ “First fuck as a married couple.”  _

 

_ “Better get on it now.” _

 

_ “Uh huh.” Toni says in a teasing manner, only intensifying the strong knot in the redhead’s stomach that’s been there for hours. “I’m carrying you…” Toni stares at Cheryl’s lips, before licking and biting her own to tease her more.  _

 

_ “Then fucking do it already.” _

 

_ In a matter seconds, the redhead is already on her wife’s arms. Soft giggles could be heard around the uncrowded hallway of the apartment building as Toni struggles to unlock the door.  _

 

_ A few more tries and she actually got to do it.  _

 

_ And for hours, they fuck for the first time as a married couple.  _

 

A loud kick and a few more tries and she actually got to open the bedroom door. She steps out carefully, jumping at the sound of the television echoing around the small apartment. 

 

What she expected was Sweet Pea or Fangs passed out drooling on her couch but what she saw was her. It’s her. 

 

And she’s passed out on her couch. On  _ their  _ couch. 

 

Toni’s head autopiloted to the sink to get water, her attention glued to the sleeping redhead on the couch. 

 

That explains why she’s wearing different clothes. Cheryl actually came for her. 

 

The brunette downs the two advil and another glass of water before sitting on the floor in front of her sleeping wife. She tries to think. Cheryl must’ve already found out about what happened. Clifford and Penelope must’ve already told her. And yet what she doesn’t understand is why she still came for her. 

 

Fuck, she’s scared. For the first time she’s scared of waking Cheryl up. She looked peaceful and harmless and oh so delicate, so fragile. She’s scared because she knows Cheryl will ask and she’s even more scared that she doesn’t really have answers for it herself. 

 

She didn’t lie. Her Grandfather didn’t lie too. Cheryl must’ve known that. But still, it sends shivers down her spine. 

 

She gets the remote from Cheryl’s hand but her eyes fall directly to her wedding band. She’s still wearing it. 

 

Maybe everything will be okay. Maybe she can wake Cheryl up and they will kiss and make up. She just want to go back to the start, when everything was happy and they were happy. 

 

She touches her wife’s fingers. They’re cold. And as Cheryl shifts lightly, Toni’s insecurities come rushing back towards her veins.  _ You never fucking learn, Topaz.  _ You’re going to do this again. You’re going to drag her down and let her walk away from the life the she deserved.  _ You’re dead fucking weight.  _

 

Her heart literally feels broken inside her chest as it aches just by looking at Cheryl. 

 

“I love you…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Shit, she’s waking up. Toni internally and externally panicked, nearly spluttering water. 

 

“Toni?” She hears her call ever so softly. 

 

“Cheryl.” 

 

“Are you okay? Sorry, I fell asleep.” 

 

Her voice sounded hoarse and Toni could see just how swollen her eyes are. 

 

“What are you doing here?” 

 

Fuck, she didn’t mean to sound so questioning she was just purely wondering. And she could tell it put Cheryl off by the way she winced at the question. 

 

“What do you mean? This is our place. And Sweet Pea called me.” She says casually while massaging her neck muscles to relieve the sore. “Toni, I have been worried sick. Why weren’t you answering my calls?”

 

The brunette stood up and sat on the couch, a few feet away just because the distance comforts her. Distance means she can’t hurt her or ruin her. 

 

“I...didn’t think you’d want that…me.”

 

“What?”

 

“I just...I don’t know. I needed the time away too.”

 

“Hey.” And in a swift second, the distance that she so carefully put between them was gone as Cheryl moves closer to wrap an arm around her shoulders. “Are we okay?”

 

“Cheryl...your parents—“

 

“Are monsters.” Cheryl finishes for her. “They don’t have the right to dig up your information like that. Especially when you didn’t know yourself. They should go to hell for it.”

 

Toni shifts uncomfortably, trying to create a safe distance even if it’s just a little. “Do...do you think it’s true?”  

 

Cheryl sighs. “Baby, I don’t...I have no idea. I’m so sorry. Even if it is, please know that it doesn’t change the way I see you.” 

 

And Toni wanted to breakdown at that. But she remained strong. 

 

She shakes her head and she could hear the disapproving grunt from Cheryl. 

 

“W-Why are you shaking your head?”

 

“I just...I don’t know.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I don’t know, Cher.”

 

“You don’t know what?”

 

“I don’t know if this marriage is still the best thing for you!” She snaps. 

 

“You don’t mean that…”

 

“Maybe I do. I’m just...your father’s right, Cher. I drag you down. I stole you away from the life that you deserved. Look at our fucking apartment, compared to Thornhill.” Toni tangles her fingers together. “Your parents want to annul our wedding.”

 

“What?!”

 

“They offered me a studio so I can start over when I sign the papers.”

 

_ “‘When’...” _

 

Cheryl was on the verge of crying as well. She can’t shake how Toni didn’t even say ‘If’, she said ‘When’. Furious, she stands up, her jaw strongly clenched. 

 

“You just won’t let this go.” She says quietly, but then her tone raises all at once. “Fuck, Toni. We’ve been doing this for years!”

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

“Fight for me!”

 

That seems to fire up the brunette as well because she’s also sent on her feet. “I have been! I have been for years, but fuck Cheryl I’m tired!”

 

It broke her heart, seeing the tears fall from Cheryl’s eye like that. But she also knows she has to get this out. 

 

“I will never...not in a million years be good enough for you.” Toni wipes her own tears. “Not in your parents eyes, not in everyone’s eyes.”

 

“How about mine? Do I get to have a say in this, Toni?” Cheryl sobs. “But you know what, I’m getting tired of believing my opinion on this matters.” 

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

But Cheryl continued to cry in front of her like she’s actually having a breakdown and Toni is itching to wrap her arms around her wife. But  _ distance... _ she’s scared that instead of fixing her, she’ll destroy her even more. So she just stood there. 

 

“So you’ll give them what they want…”

 

“It’s not that Cher. Please. I just don’t know what to do.”

 

Cheryl steps closer again, like a fucking last straw, taking her hand and placing it on her face. She cried and rubbed the back of her hand until Toni couldn’t take it anymore. She pressed her forehead against the crying redhead. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, baby.”

 

“Shh...I understand, you don’t know what to do.” Cheryl sniffs. “How about we figure it out together? I...I don’t know what to do either. But we can start...just please, don’t do it.”

 

“I won’t.” 

 

God, she’s a fucking idiot for even considering that’s what is best for Cheryl. Fuck, she deserves a fucking kick in the head. All she could do was kiss the redhead’s trembles away. She knew Cheryl had abandonment issues, they both have. And the Blossoms played with their heads so well she actually forgot that Cheryl is the love of her fucking life. 

 

“I won’t baby. I’m here.” She presses her lips against the redhead’s hairline again. “I’m so sorry I’ve been a coward.”

 

“You’re tired, and I understand that.” Cheryl buries her head on her wife’s shoulders as Toni gently rocks them, swaying Cheryl to calm her down. 

 

“God babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like I’ve given up on us. But I’m not gonna lie, I considered it. I’m just...my insecurities have fucking taken over my life—our lives and I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for running away from you. I didn’t mean to.” Toni explains in between kisses to the redhead’s shoulder. 

 

And with the silence comes Cheryl’s realizing how all of this is just a scheme to get her back just so the Blossoms could take full control of the business. And it explains why her Uncle Claudius looks like he’s ready to kill her...it’s supposed to be him. He’s expecting Nana chooses him. But she chose her instead. 

 

She pulls back lightly to meet Toni in the eyes. 

 

“We need to talk and plan how we’re going to beat my parents in their own game.”

 

“Yeah, we need to. But not now.”

 

“Huh?”

 

And Toni gave her a smile that could only mean one thing. 

 

“We’re back at our apartment. We’re alone. We just made up…” Toni shrugs innocently. 

 

Cheryl laughs, and it actually sent flutters down Toni’s chest. “For real? Are you even sober enough...Is your head even okay?”

 

“My head is perfectly fine, baby.”

 

“Perfectly fine in the gutter.” Cheryl says, just as Toni starts untucking her blouse from her skirt. “Oh you’re actually serious.”

 

“Dead serious, honey.”

 

“How is it that not ten minutes ago, you actually wanna annul me and now you’re trying to sex me up...what?”

 

“Hey! I never said I wanna annul our marriage.” Toni points a finger at her. 

 

“You said  _ when  _ you sign the papers. You didn’t even say  _ if. _ ” Cheryl pouted. “In fact, I’m still a little bit mad at you.”

 

“Well…” Toni licks her lips. “Why don’t you let me make it up to you?”

 

The redhead smirks, holding her wife’s hands to restrain her from undressing her. “How?”

 

“I can show you better than I can tell you.” 

 

A gasp of surprise and loud laughter echoed around their small, crappy apartment once again as Toni pushes Cheryl back on the couch and straddled her. 

 

They can strategize later or...tomorrow morning. Or tomorrow night if they’re still not done by then. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hey hey lighter chapters coming cuz we getting mentally healthier. Lmao leave a kind comment or somethin to help inspire me write the next one. ;) 
> 
> anyways. see u soon babies.


	10. now if you'll never shoot you'll never know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i've decided to split nana's 85th birthday in two chapters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL guys. hello! it's 5am here and hypomania hit me like an ugly yellow school bus. i'm sorry for being a cunt and not upgrading, we blaming my crappy mental health. but like, here ya go. this is idk like three (?) explosions of hypomania. so like, im not sure if its any good. but the i needed to write because my brain is vomiting shit and i cant shut it off. 
> 
> anyway, enough with the lame mental health talk. here ya go

 

It was hard getting them out of their shared apartment. Especially with Toni looking like, which her wife quoted as, a total bombshell in her tight black gown. Mostly that word suits Cheryl, but for today Toni thinks she'll let it slide. They're attending Nana Rose's eighty fifth birthday tonight. And looking at the car window, watching the world outside unfold, Toni can only look back at the journey they both went through just to be there. 

 

* * *

 

"Vee, we need your help."

 

Five magical words and Veronica Lodge was already up on her feet pacing inside her and her boyfriend's newly furnished house office. Truth be told, the percentage of children with criminal parents on Riverdale is pretty low, with Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones falling on that 3 percent. But even Gladys Jones and the blackhood himself, Hal Cooper, holds no candle to mob monster Hiram Lodge so they just know, when it comes to taking down criminal parents, Veronica is their girl. 

 

They got access to the Blossom Maple Farms files, with Jason's help of course. They spent day and night going through each and every file and yet all of them bounced back clean. And although Cheryl was more than thrilled to have sleepovers with their best friends, it frustrates her to no end. 

 

There has got to be a loophole somewhere. Her parents can not be that clean. There's something they're missing. 

 

She runs her hand through her fiery locks, gripping it tighter and tighter. "What about our investors?" She paces around, coffee on one hand 

 

"Your investors are all credible business men, Cher. They're complete with clearances and tax receipts." 

 

Cheryl groans, which caught Toni's attention from the floor. A smile creeps up into the redhead's face looking at her wife and her cute reading glasses, as Toni tugs on her to sit on her lap. "Babe, relax. We'll find something." She says as she adjusts her impatient wife on her lap so she's straddling her. "We just have to be patient. We have all the time in the world."

 

Lie. 

 

But Toni owes it to herself and their team to at least have conviction in her voice whenever she says that. 

 

Veronica adjusts her own glasses to look at the couple from her swivel chair. 

 

"Toni, it's been days. We already went through everything." Cheryl glances around the stack of papers around her friend's home office. "Maybe my parents are clean."

 

"Come on, you really believe that?"

 

The redhead bites her lip. No. Her parents are far from the saints their small town thinks them to be. 

 

"It just frustrates me that we still have nothing. All the paperwork is clean. Transactions, investors, even the history of the company is...fucking consistent." Cheryl snarled which made Toni wince a little. 

 

The brunette places her hands on Cheryl's shoulders, gently applying pressure and moving her thumbs in circles. "I know, but you gotta relax, babe. You're stressing out. We'll find something." Empty words. Toni knows just what they are. But she glances over the stack of reports on her side ready to start going through them again because this time, she's fighting with Cheryl. 

 

"I just--They had no right. What they did to you was horrible, TT. And for a second I thought they could change." Cheryl rubs her forehead again. "I should have said something. I didn't listen to my gut and I should have. I promised you I would never let them hurt you."

 

Although she keeps a strong facade, Cheryl knows Toni has felt differently ever since finding out about her parents. She doesn't push it though. Toni will talk about it when she's ready. 

 

Veronica could not help but listen. Although she lowers herself on her swivel chair and attempts to focus more on the numbers in front of her, feeling like this conversation should be just for the two of them. 

 

She loves her boyfriend. With all of her heart. Sweet Pea makes her the happiest and although their relationship was something that she didn't see coming, she wouldn't have it any other way. So she loves the six foot dude with all that she has. 

 

But looking at Cheryl and Toni, what they went through together, she couldn't help but envy the kind of love that these two shared. She could only hope one day, when it comes to them, they could have this...the kind of love that she sees on two of her closest friends. Unashamed, unafraid, unconditional. 

 

"And you did your part. Your parents played a smart trick on us. I never saw them coming either. Please don't blame yourself, babe." Toni says, even though the truth about...what does she even call it? Her past? The truth about her parents is still floating on the void. And since finding out, she finds herself drowning more and more on her insecurities, her missing identity. 

 

Cheryl just sighs. 

 

The redhead is also surprised she's still standing tall, with little to no insanity in sight. With all the stress coming from school and her situation with her parents and not so secretly taking them down, and not to mention she's still on board with the planning of Nana Rose's eighty fifth, she's surprised she's still a decent, functioning human being. It's all because of Toni, how she's grounding her down and lifting her up at the same time, she doesn't know. But their marriage has been her sanctuary, a safe place for all the wars going on inside her head. 

 

The dead air between them was suddenly broken by a loud hum that escaped Veronica's mouth. It makes sense. The Blossoms are smart. She can't believe they didn't think of this first. Of course their written files are clean. They need to dig more. And get closer...if there something she's learned with her overall experience with Hiram is, keep your enemies as close to you as possible. 

 

 The young couple turned their attention to their friend, who was facing the wall. 

 

Veronica Lodge is a genius. Years and years of dealing with Hiram did her well. She stares straight into her painting, her black Louboutins clicking as she taps the tiled floor. 

 

"Cher, when is Nana Rose's birthday?" She asks casually, a small smirk spread across her lips. 

 

"This Saturday. Why?" Cheryl answers immediately, confused at her friend's sudden interest. 

 

"Think you can get me and my man on the list?" She turns around, smiling smugly at the couple. "Both of you are still going, right?" 

 

The two exchanged looks. 

 

"Yeah, we're all going." The Latina says, not even waiting for a reply. She chuckles at the confused look on both Cheryl and Toni's faces. "It's perfect."

 

"Ronnie, what are you talking about?" Toni smiles, planting a soft innocent kiss on her wife's shoulder. 

 

The smirk on Veronica's face could only grow. "Cher, you still have those cat suits that you two used to wear, right?"

 

_ Oh.  _

 

"We're robbing Clifford and Penelope Blossom."

 

* * *

  
  


So that's how they ended up here, in a limo, on their way back to Thornhill. Going back there still makes Toni feel sick. Just the thought of coming face to face with Clifford and Penelope Blossom again, makes her want to throw up. She wants nothing more than to carve their faces with her own knife. What they did to Cheryl...they would really stop at nothing when it comes to torturing their daughter. 

 

Then she looks at Veronica and Sweet Pea sitting right across from them. And it makes Toni think. 

 

She's grateful for her parents for bringing her into this world, and what they did to keep her alive. She'll forever owe her Grandpa for taking her in. But this, this is her family now. Whatever happened before, it doesn't matter now. This is her family. Sweet Pea and Veronica, Fangs and each and everyone of their friends. Even Jughead, who still gets on her nerves sometimes. And of course Cheryl. 

 

It makes her teary eyed, and Toni Topaz rarely cries. But looking at it, she and Cheryl, they found a family with one another. The way they were raised might have been different. Toni was raised in a crampy old trailer and Cheryl in a castle, but they were both in need of a home and they found it, with each other. 

 

"You okay, Tiny?" Sweet Pea's low voice yanks her out of her thoughts. As soon as he heard the plan and what was about to go down, the boy did not hesitate, his way of making it up to Toni for his tiny outburst and being an ass. 

 

She gives him a small nod. 

 

"We're approaching, guys." Fangs said from the division in the driver's area. 

 

Toni could feel her wife's grip on her hand getting tighter. She squeezes it back, before bringing it to her lips. 

 

* * *

  
  


Toni isn't a violent person. That was the common misconception. She hated it when people labeled her and the serpents as such. They promoted nothing but brotherhood and self defense.

 

She's almost sure self defense is different from being violent. 

 

But as Clifford and Penelope Blossom approaches both of them with a sick smile painted on their faces, as if nothing happened, hugs and kisses Cheryl's cheek, as if the last twenty two years of emotional and physical abuse didn't happen, Toni could  _ swear _ right then, she was ready to kill. 

 

And she hated it with every fiber of her being that even after what they did to herself with the annulment papers and information about her parents, she was still, in some way, trying to prove the Blossoms that she wasn't a violent person. 

 

She doesn't want it to be for them. She's trying to behave herself for Cheryl. This is all for Cheryl. And also,  _ herself goddammit! _

 

So she lets her fists relax, tucking them right where the dimples on her wife's back would be and gave them a fake smile. 

 

"Antoinette, what a surprise." Penelope remarks. 

 

Toni has never been for social interaction, that much she knows. She gets tired of trying to keep up with conversations and fake compliments. But throughout her life, she has never met someone more fake and fucking plastic as Penelope Blossom. She's tried finding, but no one this world holds a candle.  _ No one.  _

 

So she scoots closer to her wife. 

 

Unlike her, Cheryl has had a lifetime of training when it comes to these things. She's lived with the woman for most of her life. She can't even begin to imagine the exhaustion her wife must feel like trying to keep up with Satan's mistress. But then, there's also Jason. But that's for another discussion. 

 

She watches as the Blossom fuss with her wife, and from an outsider's point of view, this whole scenario must be the most genuine, loving interaction between parents and a child they rarely see since getting married. 

 

The party has already started. And Toni tries to look around the event. It wasn't as big as she thought it would be. It still looks extravagant, no doubt. Blossoms live up to their reputation. But it all looks intimate, like totally an invite only kind of event. 

 

Everything is in burgundy and gold. And when you look around there isn't a corner where you can't find red hair. 

 

She spots Jason, who looks slightly uncomfortable in his all black suit, having a discussion with his little family. It wasn't long until he was approaching them. 

 

"Mother, dad." He greets. "Cheryl, do you mind if I borrow Toni for a little bit?" He places a soft hand on Toni's arm. 

 

Jason Christ, the Savior. 

 

There was a subtle release of breath before Toni was raising her eyebrows at her wife, asking her subtly if she'd be okay with dealing with her parents alone for a little. 

 

"Of course, JJ." Cheryl gives a small smile, actually relieved to take one for the team because Toni needs to get a separation from them. She doesn't need to be around these monsters. 

 

"Wonderful." He replies with his charming smile. 

 

The pair walked away and as soon as they were at a distance where the Blossoms couldn't hear, Jason leans in closer to her. "You two are planning something tonight." 

 

Toni keeps on walking. They tried to exclude Jason as much as possible from this mainly because of his relationship to his parents. It's not like they couldn't trust him. Jason loves Cheryl, would do anything for his twin sister, would actually take a bullet for her. Cheryl and Toni are well informed of that. They just don't want him involved in case they really find something illegal or wrong. Which they are. 

 

"The little you know the better." She replies. 

 

"You guys have literally excluded me in all of this." He fakes a smile as a waiter offered them a glass of champagne, which he declines. 

 

But not Toni, though. Toni needs liquid courage for what is about to go down. So she downs a glass. 

 

"Why did you guys moved out? I think I deserve to know what happened. Cheryl is my twin." He insists. 

 

"And Clifford and Penelope are your parents." Toni didn't mean to snap a little, so she tones down her voice. "Can you just trust us?"

 

"Listen to me," he begins, "I can't just be in here and pretend that everything's alright. You need to tell me what happened. Cheryl doesn't answer me whenever I try to talk to her about you guys asking for the reports. I'm supposed to protect her, no matter what. And I can't do that if she's blocking me out. Listen, if you are trying to bring down our parents, they are dangerous people. You have no idea what they are actually capable of. So please, just tell me...are you?"

 

Toni hesitates. She's actually tempted to just spill, since Jason has always been Cheryl's knight in shining armor, and well,  she guesses hers too. She totally gets where he is coming from. But if she actually got Jason tangled up into this mess, Cheryl would kill her. 

 

"If you are…" 

 

"Jason!" She interrupts her before he could finish his sentence. "You can help us by distracting your parents. We need time. A lot of it. If you could do that, it would be great. Can you?" 

 

Jason releases a breath. "Yes." 

 

"I got her." 

 

He presses his lips while he holds his chin as if he's still debating it.  

 

"I got her." She repeats, louder this time to reassure him. "I'm not gonna let them hurt her again." 

 

"Okay." And he believes that.  

  
  


* * *

  
  


Cheryl makes idle talk with her parents and the rest of their twisted family. She adjusts her position whenever someone blocks her view of Toni, who is now actually looking like she's having a good time discussing with her brother's twins and Polly. 

 

She's got the greatest position. She has Toni and JJ on her twelve o'clock, and then Ronnie and Sweet Pea on her ninth. 

 

Veronica keeps on glancing on her as well, giving her subtle 'are you okays'  

 

Her attention quickly got snatched as soon as she saw  _ the _ snow white pompadour. It has always been her cousin's distinguisher.  She excuses herself immediately from their tiny group, feeling some kind of excitement rush through her. 

 

"Alexander? She calls out softly. 

 

"Cheryl Blossom. How long has it been?" 

 

"Too long." She beams brightly. "I need a favor." 

 

"Cheryl Blossom asking for a favor from her least favorite cousin. Sounds interesting." He unbuttons his black and gold tux. 

 

She gives him a playful smirk. "No that's actually Betty Cooper. You're my less favorite cousin." She winks and they share a laugh. 

 

"What can I do for you, bombshell?" 

 

"I need you to take a look at something…"

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


The four of them met at the east wing, where they know no guests or staff will be. 

 

"Cher, you and Toni take the office. Sweet pea and I are taking their bedroom. Look for secret cabinets, or holes on the floors. Look behind portraits." Veronica instructed. 

 

"Okay wait, Toni and I are both missing from the party. Won't my parents get suspicious?" 

 

"Don't worry, babe. I asked Jason to cover that." Toni squeezes her wife's shoulder. 

 

"Oh well, if there's something he's good at. It's definitely that." Cheryl shrugs, chuckling. 

 

Veronica takes out two black bags in front of them. She opens one to take out what made Toni's eyebrows raised. "Ronnie, I didn't think you were serious about the catsuits. What the fuck…"

 

"I'm doing this in style or I'm not doing it at all." 

 

Sweet pea rolled his eyes playfully, while Cheryl reluctantly gets the bag from the Latina. She took a glance of what was inside and her eyebrows went up higher on her forehead. Their friend has really thought this through. Damn, it's the perfect robbing kit. It's complete with all the tools needed to completely rob a whole damn house. 

 

"Dude." Toni said humorously, examining the bag herself. "This is making me miss all the gang shit that we used to do." She looks at Sweet Pea. 

 

"Dude, I know but I'm like a cop now. So let's not think about that." 

 

"Right. Right. This is a completely different thing though."

 

"Right?" 

 

"Okay!" Veronica interrupts. "Can we focus? Let's get to it."

 

All three nod and then they separated ways. 

 

Cheryl dragged Toni to the floor where her father's office would be. Then she watched as the brunette expertly picked the lock of the door with the help of Veronica's bag of assorted serial killer tools, as she would like to call them in her head. 

 

She felt a different kind of excitement surge through her. With all the adrenalin coming from the situation, she finds herself looking back to that one phase they had in high school where they robbed rich people's houses, including Hiram Lodge. They soon realized stealing from people no matter how crazy rich they are is  _ still  _ stealing. And it's not good. Not at all. But they were young and stupid. 

 

And Cheryl lets herself feel exactly that right now. She finds herself wanting Toni to slam her on the desk and get her way with her. Her wife's dress isn't helping her much. She pushes that feeling down quickly. She should focus on the task at hand. 

 

So she digs through the bunch of folders on the locked cabinet that they picked too. 

 

She found a couple of things so far. The deeds to the photo studio her parents had baited Toni, the folder that contained their annulment papers and then...Toni's file. 

 

The redhead hesitated. She stole a glance from her wife, who was busy cracking the code on Clifford's laptop. 

 

She had to smile. Of course she had to. Toni looked both hot and cute as she concentrates on the piece of machine on her lap. She sways on the swivel chair and Cheryl takes her in. God, she's so in love with her wife. She still feels the same butterflies from the day they met. 

 

She notices the tiny beads of sweat running down her face. How her tongue would poke out her teeth every now and then. The crease on her forehead. 

 

It will never change for them. Sure, their love has grown and they've both grown as individuals but it hasn't changed. The way she used to look at her wife, her TT, the love of her life, is still the way she looks at her now. Nothing will ever change that, not even these pieces of paper. 

 

"Baby, you okay?" 

 

Cheryl was broken out of her trance. She shakes her head. "Yeah."

 

"Found something yet?" 

 

"No." 

 

"I can't figure out the password. I've tried your and Jason's birthday. I've tried the exact date Blossom Maple Farms was established. I've tried Blossom related words like 'barrels of money' but I can't get it." Toni said, eyes still fixed on the screen. 

 

She smiles at her wife's playfulness. "Huh, that's weird. I know it's always been our birthday. Try their anniversary, October 17th." 

 

Cheryl hears her wife's slamming on the keys before she's groaning loudly. "Fuck, it's not it." 

 

"Babe, you need to relax. You can't open it by actually cracking it open." She laughs softly 

 

"If you could not laugh at me, it would be great." 

 

"Okay, stop being grumpy. And don't take this out on me please."

 

"I'm not." Toni answers dismissively, which concerned Cheryl a little bit. 

 

"Hey," she calls out. "You need to calm down." 

 

At this point, Toni looks up from the screen and analyzes her wife. "Sorry babe, I'm just frustrated. You found something yet?" She repeats. 

 

Cheryl shakes her head. 

 

"Fuck, babe. We don't even know what exactly we are looking for. Maybe your parents are clean." Toni groans exhaustingly, letting her head collapse on the head rest. She puts the computer down on the desk and pressed her fingers on her eyes. "Maybe we shouldn't be here. This is a mistake."

 

Cheryl pulls out the folder, then walks slowly towards the frustrated brunette. Gently, she twists the swivel chair so she could look at her directly, placing a hand on her cheek. "You genuinely believe that?" She asks softly. 

 

"I...don't know." 

 

She places the folder on Toni's lap before depositing a kiss on her forehead. "It doesn't change anything. I'm going to keep on reminding you that. But it's here when you need it. Whenever you're ready."

 

Toni pulls her in by the waist, her chest landing on her head. "Thank you." She says weakly. She pulled away to cup her wife's face and plant a small kiss on her lips. "I never told you how beautiful you look today." 

 

"Shut up.  _ You _ look beautiful, Toni." 

 

Toni placed another small kiss on her exposed shoulders. "We're both beautiful." 

 

That made Cheryl laugh, but the laughter quickly dissolved into an inaudible moan as Toni's breath made contact with the skin on her neck. "Baby…" her eyelids shut close. 

 

"Hmm?" Toni's lips ghosted the redhead's neck. Truthfully, she also feels what Cheryl felt earlier. And her resolve is much, much easier than Cheryl's. It's always been like that. 

 

"We need to focus." Cheryl encouraged. 

 

Toni laughed. "How mad would you be if I tell you I've been kind of thinking of fucking you on this table…"

 

_ Oh.  _

 

The way Toni's voice gets an octave lower whenever she speaks like this will never fail to turn her on. Plus, she's been kind of turned on herself prior too.. Little bit. 

 

"I...won't get mad at all…" her voice cracked and she could feel Toni's smirk on her neck. She didn't know exactly when but somehow Toni's hands ended up caressing her body through the fabric of her gown. 

 

This is bad. They shouldn't. They should focus.

 

But Toni's already licking  _ the spot _ on her neck. And she finds herself squeezing her legs to get some relief from their awkward position. 

 

"Like at all?" 

 

Cheryl bites her lower lip. 

 

"On your dad's desk?" 

 

"Toni…" 

 

The brunette lifts her up suddenly, her butt landing on the mahogany. And it's like her hands move automatically on their own, making almost everything on the desk fly to the ground. Almost. 

 

Cheryl moans audibly now, her hands tangling on the pink strands on Toni's hair. 

 

They don't have much time so Toni knows they have to hurry. She was already lifting Cheryl skirt up when the redhead pushed her chest subtly. 

 

"Wait, wait…" Cheryl pants. 

 

"What?" 

 

"I-It feels weird a little."

 

"You wanna stop?"

 

"No, no...um, maybe just not exactly  _ on  _ the table." 

 

Toni gives her a small nod, before lifting her thighs again and turning 90 degrees, swiping a couple of pictures frames before planting her on the surface right behind the desk, 

 

See mostly, she likes it when Toni is rough. But Cheryl actually groaned in pain as her back collided on wall of portraits quite violently, and then another cry when something fell hitting the back of her head. 

 

Toni instantly pulled away. "Oh my god, baby. Are you okay? I'm so sorry." 

 

"Fuck, that hurt." The redhead rubbed the back of her head. "We really shouldn't. We need to focus on finding something. Bad idea…" Cheryl grumbled, her eyes falling on the portrait that fell to see that it was of hers and Jason's. At his first polo match when they were 12.

 

"No...good idea. Cher…"

 

Cheryl furrowed her eyebrows confused at what Toni is gawking at above her head, so she followed her wife's line of sight. 

 

_ Shit.  _

 

"I'm a genius.." Toni mumbles. She offers her hand to help Cheryl get down and then they both collected the stuff that had fallen from their short-lived passion and fixed everything as if nothing ever happened. 

 

With shaking hands, Cheryl fiddles with tiny black vault fixed on the wall and within seconds, it popped open.  _ It's always been their birthday.  _ Easy. 

 

Toni holds her wife tighter and when Cheryl gave the signal, they slowly open the little window revealing a single ledger, bounded in black leather. 

 

This is it. 

 

Might be  

 

Hopefully. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i dont really proofread and i think yall know that already. so sorry for the mistakes i take full responsibility of them. i havent slept a wink. so lets blame that. 
> 
> lemme know what yall think

**Author's Note:**

> so what u think? my @ on twitter and tumblr is still “inyourbeanie” come say hi.


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